Life Imitating Art
by WeAreAllStoriesInTheEnd
Summary: "Life is life. It doesn't imitate anything." It all started out as just a friendly conversation between two co-stars, but then soon became something much, much more. Zachary Levi/Yvonne Strahovski, aka Zachonne. Chapter 7 up!
1. His Girl Friday

**Note: **Hey everyone, I'm here with a one-shot story that I originally wrote as a dare from myself (and posted it on Tumblr) after watching the TV Guide video that featured Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski and Timothy Dalton all getting awards for polls that the fans voted on. I'll say that please; PLEASE don't post this in violation of whatever stupid rules there are on for not writing about real actors in stories...because Supernatural includes J2 all the freaking time.

Ok, I don't own Zachary Levi or Yvonne Strahovski, unlike their characters, they are real people. This is a touchy subject and I apologize in advanced.

Viva La Zachonne!

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><p><strong>Chapter One: His Girl Friday <strong>

_"If he knew, what you do when no one's in the dark room, but me and you. Our brilliant disguise, its the taste of a car chase. I do confess, It's the mess that feels so right. Call on Monday, Come on a Tuesday, they'll never know. Pop off a cork for a Wednesday, Play with me on Thursday, but you'll always be his girl Friday," _His Girl Friday, The Academy is...

After an incredibly long day of glamorous photoshoots and repetitive interviews, Yvonne was ready to call it quits. She held her TV Guide's _Best Actress _award tucked away in her arms, and then dragged herself across the studio to a couch where she collapsed into its soft cushiony goodness. With a relieved sigh, she proceeded to kick-off her stilettos and let her eyes slowly droop shut.

The last few weeks had been hell, but in a good-for-your-career sort of way. With the _College Humor _video (which upon watching it after its completion, it gave her nightmares), the wrapping up of the latest season of _Chuck,_ and then her current ordeal, it was truly a wonder that she was still even conscious.

"Having a nice nap?" an amused voice asked, causing Yvonne to jolt awake. She cracked open one eye and saw a tall figure looming over her. With a lopsided grin, he took a seat on the couch. "I was thinking about passing out earlier during the shoot, but the cameras made it practically impossible."

"Such is life," Yvonne said with a strangled yawn. She sat up and went on to say, "I thought you already left for some Nerd Machine meeting…what are you still doing here, Zac?"

The self-proclaimed nerdy actor merely shrugged, replying casually: "I rescheduled it for tomorrow. It's no big deal or anything." He ran his fingers through his short curly hair until it returned to its normal, unruly self. "So, I believe I forgot to personally congratulate you on the _Best Actress _award…"

Yvonne glanced at the translucent trophy that sat nestled between her and Zac. She nodded and smiled tiredly. "I honestly did not expect it," she admitted softly and added, "I hope you're not disappointed about losing out to Jensen in your category?"

Zac waved his hand dismissively, "Nah, I'm not disappointed. Why would I be? I mean, Jensen Ackles is an extremely talented and scary attractive person…actually, the entire cast of _Supernatural _is freaking scary attractive. So, no hard feelings."

Yvonne laughed and the sound resembled church bells chiming faintly in the distance. Zac's lips twitched into an elated smile, always pleasantly surprised when he could get this goddess of a woman to react to his stupid jokes. Her laughter soon died and she gazed at Zac, biting on her lip like she was in deep thought.

"What time is it?" She asked.

Zac blinked, "What time is it?" He glanced briefly at his watch. "Oh, uh, it's just after seven….why?"

She instantly sobered up; a look of horror crossed her face. "Oh no!"

"Oh, naeiou?" He repeated in his best Aussie accent. "Why oh, naeiou?"

Standing up, Yvonne reached into her purse and grabbed the IPhone. Frazzled, she explained in a rush. "I was supposed to meet Tim at this restaurant almost fifteen minutes ago. He had it reserved for the two of us and now I'll have to cancel on him."

As an actor, it was in the job description to perfect the art of emoting. But to appear sincere to Yvonne's strife was a difficult task for Zac to achieve. Because in reality, he could care less (or even whatever less than less was) that her date with Tim Loden had been botched. He found that the longer he could keep the Aussie deity away from her freeloading boyfriend, the better. Thus, the game of _Keep Away _had become one of his new favorite pastimes. It was just as entertaining or if not more, than his daily fill of videogames.

"That's a bummer," he lied. "You should probably call him. I'm sure Timmy won't mind if you have to reschedule."

"But Zac," Yvonne whined. "You know how busy I've been lately! This was the only time I was going to be free for the next month!"

_Thank you, Chuck fans. _Zac smirked to himself. Without them, Yvonne wouldn't have been so preoccupied with things that are not Tim Loden. "You would've been too tired to have a good time tonight anyways. You know how exciting Tim is," he said dryly, but of course, Yvonne had chosen to ignore the sarcastic remark.

"I guess you're right," she acquiesced with an adorable frown. "I should text him that I won't be able to make it."

Zac snaked an arm around Yvonne's shoulder in a nonchalant attempt to console her. She tended to always confide him with all of her relationship issues, making him feel less like a guy who truly was personally invested in her and more like the gay best friend. It felt like it was high school all over again. So as she began fumbling with her IPhone, he let his eyes travel absently around the now empty studio. The place was eerie; not a soul to be seen except for Yvonne and himself. When this dawned on him, Zac became engrossed with a more pressing notion. It involved him and Yvonne, the couch, and a serious lack of clothes.

The fantasy in the forefronts of his mind, Zac cleared his throat and said, "I know you get this a lot, and it shouldn't be news to you or anything." Yvonne was in the midst of sending a message, her eyes focused intently onto her phone's screen. He noticed but pressed on, "But you looked absolutely stunning today. Everyone was staring at you with their jaws on the floor…and with good reason."

Yvonne stashed her phone back into her purse and looked at Zac attentively. He appeared to be nervous but there was a hint of something else she could not identify. His gaze was dark and inviting; feelings stirred as she became fixed with his muddy depths. His compliment was plenty endearing, as was the obvious advancement he was trying to pursue. Her face went red, "Oh, thank you, that's very nice. You looked very dapper," she replied and cringed once the words left her mouth.

Zac immediately felt the awkwardness of the situation increase tenfold and tried to remedy it with a joke, "Dapper, huh?" He said with a crooked grin.

It was no question that Zachary Levi was the ideal personification of what the perfect human male specimen was supposed to be. But the getup that the TV Guide photographers had chosen for him only accentuated his physical attributes. Yvonne had been sending appraising looks his way throughout the entire photoshoot. His white shirt layered with a cardigan and striped tie, coupled with a tight pair of jeans and his favorite Converse shoes, had the women who were present and every photographer going bonkers. The air surrounding Zachary was undeniable as it had been the day she first introduced herself to him four years prior.

Nevertheless, Yvonne chose not to divulge her piquing interest (it was nonsense anyways) and instead remained composed and professional. "Yes, it's going to make for a great TV Guide issue. Can't wait for April 15th,"she replied and mentally proceeded to kick herself.

Zac nodded in slight disappointment. His brain was currently berating him: _You are alone with Yvonne StraHOTski, don't just sit there! Do something! _This led him to gawking at her like a fool; observing how her red silk dress hugged every curve and how her blond curls framed her pale features just perfectly.

_God, she is beautiful._

He knew that this was going to be his only chance to pursue a _real _relationship with Yvonne. _Chuck _was nearing a possible cancellation and the likelihood of seeing her after the show's end was slim to none. She was going to become an A-list actress and Zac feared that the next time he'd see her would be at the Academy Awards where she'd be accepting an Oscar for _Best Actress. _

All he wanted was to confess his feelings for her at any cost, before it was too late. Unlike Chuck Bartowski, he would do it without hesitation. There would be no distractions or miscommunications. This was life. It wasn't television. It was real. He wanted their onscreen romance to cross the threshold into reality.

_Wow, _he realized with amazement,_ now I sound just like Chuck._

He briefly debated whether having all those glasses of wine throughout the day was a great idea. Sure he was over six feet tall (and four inches, thank you very much!) but alcohol had a way of deluding his senses very quickly. He wasn't thinking logically…but since when was love logical?

It surely wasn't logical when the creators of the show decided to finally make Chuck and Sarah a couple. Neither was each scene that consisted in those passionate kisses or longing glances that took take after take, driving him up a freaking wall. Zac was positive that having Yvonne belly dance right in front of him was both the best (and worst) thing that could've ever happened to him. It sent his arousal skyrocketing but the day had ended ceremoniously with the coldest shower of his entire life.

"Zac, are you alright?"

Her voice broke his reverie. "Sorry, I was zoning out for a moment there," he mumbled sheepishly.

"It's ok; I was just wondering if you wanted to leave? It's sort of weird being the only two here, don't you think?"

Zac felt his heart sink. "Yeah, it's totally weird, uncanny really." He rambled nonsensically, "I mean, who knows what goes on here behind the scenes? The studio could be haunted, or a meth house in disguise…or—"

Yvonne erupted into a fit of giggles. "I swear we've been playing our characters for far too long, sometimes you sound e_xactly _like Chuck."

Whether being compared to a fictional character was a good thing or just another sign that he was going crazy, Zac felt his mouth go dry. He recovered, replying, "I think save for the adorable Aussie accent, you make a pretty descent Sarah Walker."

She raised a brow. "Really, do I?" She stood up, flattening the wrinkles of her dress while slipping her pair of stilettos back onto her feet. "What do you mean?"

Zac followed suit, continuing. "Well like Sarah, you're gorgeous, intelligent, athletic, and not to mention quite the crude sense of humor, which I approve…but in all honestly, you're the whole package. And if it's any indication of how Sarah Walker kisses than I'm sure Yvonne Strahovski blows her out of the water."

Well, there it was.

He promptly snapped his mouth shut and braced for rejection. Yvonne stared at him like he had indeed lost his mind. Her reaction only further confirmed the suspicion that he had made a huge mistake.

_Oh shit, what did I just do?_

There was long pause followed by Yvonne asking, "What are you saying?"

Zac dipped his head for a moment and sighed. He looked back up at her. "Look, forget about it, I was being stupid. I—I just had this ridiculous notion that maybe you like me, maybe more than just friends which is completely off the reservation since you're already in a relationship…"he could not think of a suitable conclusion, knowing it would take a lot to keep her there. All he could do was either wait for the answer he wanted but knew would never come, or to suck it up and show her.

And so, he (regrettably) decided on the latter.

Zac grabbed Yvonne by the arm, pulling her to him. He tilted her chin to angle upwards and then pressed his lips upon hers. When she did not resist his advancement, he took advantage of her shocked state and backed her into a nearby studio wall, their mouths still glued firmly together. Before either realized what was happening, Zac lifted her off the floor. As what must've been a subconscious reaction to their actions, Yvonne fastened her legs around his waist, forcefully pressing her body against his. She then began to kiss with more fervor and the physical desire grew palpable between them. Once she ground her hips against him, Zac elicited pleasurable groan in response.

They soon parted for air, both panting wildly. Yvonne dropped to the floor and looked to Zac, her face flushed from their brief bout of passion. "We shouldn't be doing this here…" she whispered.

Zac acknowledged her refusal with an expression of mixed confusion and disappointment. He held his hands up as if to placate the situation, "I completely understand. This was a mistake and I think we should just go our separate ways so I can find somewhere to curl up and die of embarrassment. Fuck, I'm so sorry, Yvonne."

Yvonne tilted her head, smiling shyly. "Don't be sorry, I was only going to ask if we could maybe go someplace more…private."

"Wait…what?"

"We can use your car if that's fine by you?" She went on, gathering her purse and award into her arms. Zac watched her make a beeline for the studio's exit. He stood rooted in place, trying to form a coherent thought. He instead began to grin like a kid on Christmas morning and nodded in affirmation.

"Aces," she beamed. "But I want to make sure that Tim never, ever knows about this." Her voice undertook a much more serious—almost Sarah Walker tone, that it gave Zac shivers of delight.

"No way," he replied a little _too_ gleefully, "Timmy will never know."

* * *

><p>Yvonne was due for a bit of excitement. She always entertained the idea of doing something that could tarnish her reputation as the once reserved, mild-mannered women that she was usually portrayed as. That persona had become cumbersome as of late; constantly holding up the same rigorous standards wherever she went or whatever she did. If she could just shake things up, if only once in her life, now was the time do so. And what better circumstances could she have asked for? She was about to go have sex with none other than Zachary Levi. Her heart had been hammering staccatos in her chest the moment he had pushed her against the wall and kissed her. She still could feel her lips tingle, the taste of red wine infused with nicotine lingering on her breath. To not have the aftertaste of a Philly Cheesestake was a far cry from the very first time she had shared an intimate (albeit, staged) moment with Zac.<p>

Hopefully, there would be more to come.

They had made it to the parking garage without a hitch—it was deserted like the studio—and strolled up the lone silver sports car parked in the center row. Zac had suggested turning off their phones as a way to prevent any further interruption. Yvonne complied with a quiet nod. She was too anxious to say anything of much use; her nerves were currently on fire with anticipation. Zac must've noticed she was riled up because he turned his head away from her, a smirk growing on his face.

He dug a hand into his jean pocket to reveal a set of car keys; pressed the appropriate button which caused the Nissan GT-R to honk in response. Zac approached the back seat, fingers clutched around the door handle and then before he could swing it ajar, Yvonne had given up on all prior restraint and was suddenly on him.

"Yvonne, what are you doing—?" He never got to finish because the blonde already had him by his tie and quickly yanked him forward into a searing kiss. Zac was surprised at Yvonne's newfound assertiveness; he dropped his keys as she devoured his senses and heard the distinct shattering of the TV Guide award when it collided with the pavement below. He tapped her shoulder to warn that she wouldn't be going home with any accolades, but Yvonne did not seem to care, and thus Zac decided to hell with it.

He cupped her face with his hands, his hips now pressing her into the side of the car. An eager moan escaped between Yvonne's lips and it was all the motivation Zac needed to lift her up and carry her to the hood of the car. As soon as he began to move his lips down the underside of her jaw, leaving a fiery path to her throat, Yvonne shoved him away and proceeded to pull his cardigan and white undershirt over his head in one fluid motion. Zac was left with his chest bare, save for the striped tie dangling from around his neck. He haphazardly tossed it and the remainder of his clothing over one shoulder before being dragged back down to Yvonne, kissing her even more fiercely.

Yvonne ran her hands through his hair, feeling his curls slide between her fingers. She held him as close as she possibly could, which no matter how tightly their bodies were pressed together; it still was not going to be enough. Wrapping one leg high around his waist, she rolled her hips once as if to test the waters. Zac let out a groan, unconsciously moving his hips in time with hers. He began ravaging her with his hands, tracing the curvatures of her figure while his mouth was to her neck, lightly nipping and sucking at her skin.

He gripped either strap of her dress nearly tore them off when he forced it downward. The silky material pooled at her ankles and then slid to the parking lot floor. Zac had not expected that Yvonne was going to be braless during the photoshoot. But there she was, lying beneath him. Her golden tendrils sprawled onto the hood of the car, her breasts rising up and down with every sharp breath.

Zac was needless to say, overwhelmed at such a remarkable sight. He hovered over Yvonne's topless form, absolutely speechless. A pair of hazy blue eyes stared up at him through their half-lidded gaze.

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly.

"Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror lately?" Zac replied, breathless. "I mean, _really _looked at yourself?"

Yvonne blushed. "Um, it's kind of hard not to…"

"Do you understand how outrageously hot you are?"

"I think you're overacting just a touch, Zac—"

He shook his head, "I swear, hotness of this magnitude should be outlawed on account of the possible chance of death."

Yvonne giggled, causing Zac to smile down at her. "I've never had my appearance be compared to a felony before."

"That's because nobody truly appreciates you like I do," Zac stated with a wink.

"Do you?"

He felt the adrenaline running rampant through his veins. His heart was racing at such a simple question. "Of course," he said frankly. "I could go as far as to say that I more than just _appreciate _you."

Yvonne felt her breath hitch. The draw of being spontaneous without any dire implications had been reduced to background noise. She gazed into his bright, amber eyes knew that he was heartfelt and meant every single thing he said to her.

"The feeling is mutual," she whispered.

Relief washed over Zac's face. "Good….thank god." And he dove back in, but this time as he captured her lips, the sense of desperation had vanished and was replaced with tenderness and care, something Yvonne had not experienced in what felt like an eternity.

_Sorry, Tim. _

She felt him slide his hands up her inner thighs. Zac smiled when she began to twitch eagerly. He brushed his fingers between her legs, and slowly tugged her red laced panties away from her hips. Yvonne watched with a content sigh as he slipped them down her legs and over her stilettos. They dropped into the growing pile of discarded clothing. Zac's eyes roamed over her now completely naked body and then he began pressing hurried, passionate kisses from the valley of her breasts to her stomach, abdomen and then tickled her bellybutton with the flick of his tongue, sending Yvonne into a fit of giggles.

Zac held her steady on the Nissan's sleek hood; his chin resting on her hip bone as he gazed at her with adoring eyes. "I want to show you how much I truly appreciate you, Yvonne," he murmured softly.

She inhaled sharply as he lifted her legs over each shoulder and went down on her. His tongue immediately began to probe in and around her velvety core. Eyes closed tight, she dug her fingertips into Zac's scalp as his head bobbed up and down. Her thighs quivered violently as her arousal intensified. Just as she felt a finger slide inside of her and begin to work in tandem with his tongue, Yvonne was nearing a climax.

"Zac…Zachary," she gasped, her hips bucking frantically. He hummed and she cried out, "I'm so close…please, Zac."

He sucked on her clit with now two fingers joining in, thrusting in and out of her folds with increasing speed. Yvonne grabbed a handful of his brunette curls, holding out as long as she could until the pressure in her navel became too great and she succumbed with one last strangled utterance of Zac's name.

She opened her eyes to find Zac now at eye-level, a rather satisfied look on his face. "What?" She asked with furrowed brows. He leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on the nose.

"Nothing," he replied. "I'm just finding it hard to convince myself that this isn't a figment of my imagination."

"If you want, I can always pinch you to see if you're still dreaming." Yvonne suggested playfully, still riding the high from her last orgasm.

Zac smirked. "That's not necessary." Their lips collided once more and it almost took her breath away. His tongue pushed deep into her mouth; Yvonne bit back a moan and reached a hand down to his crotch, squeezing him through the worn fabric of his jeans. Zac tensed and growled against her lips. Yvonne quickly undid his belt, button and zipper, and then pulled his pants down past his hips. Zac circled his arms around her neck to bring her close, aligned himself before entering her without the slightest delay.

Yvonne gasped at the otherworldly sensation. When her head cleared a little, she wondered why it had taken four years to come to this moment. Chuck and Sarah's will they/won't they relationship did not even last this long. She instinctively wrapped her legs around him and then once he began to move inside her, Yvonne's mind went void of all coherent thought. Her body moved on its own accord and matched with each one of Zac's thrusts. She raked her nails against his back, forcing herself to his lips, kissing him with fervor until she fell onto the hood of the car, arching into him for more.

Her muscles tightened rapidly, partly because of all the pent-up sexual tension between them, and then the fact that something about fucking on top of Zac's car in the middle of a public area where the paparazzi could easily pop up at any time…to snap pictures or perhaps film their scandalous act in progress, that made everything so _perfect. _Knowing they could get caught (maybe she secretly wanted that?) made it that much hotter.

"Yvonne," she heard Zac calling her name. His thrusts hit spot on, penetrating deeper each time he pulled back and reentered her. "I—I'm about to…to…" He snarled under his breath which elected a scream to rip from her chest, and she knew that it was over. Her lithe form slackened as all oxygen left her lungs, her arms draped limply across his shoulders. Zac brushed her damp hair away from her neck and kissed her racing pulse.

Now they were absolutely still—foreheads touching while their smiles broadened with every passing second. They breathed in perfect unison.

"So, what are you going to do about the mess we made?" Zac asked minutes later once they were semi-recovered.

Yvonne looked up at him quizzically. "Mess…?"

He indicated to what was once formally the TV Guide award, which had been reduced to shattered glass scattered across the blacktop. Yvonne cursed under her breath. "Shit…do you think I can get it replaced?"

"I think it's gone," Zac concluded solemnly. "Parting is such sweet sorrow. But if worse comes to worse, just blame it on me. I'm the clumsy one, remember?"

Yvonne pecked Zac lightly on the cheek. "You're so sweet."

Zac pulled off of her sweat-soaked body and proceeded to pull up his boxers and then jeans. Yvonne watched momentarily, but soon followed suit until she was fully clothed as well. She slid off the Nissan's hood, tying her hair back into a messy ponytail. She glanced at Zac, who was staring nervously back at her.

"What do we do now?" he asked.

She knew exactly what he meant. While she loathed the idea of cheating on Tim, it was becoming harder to deny the temptation to continue her affair with Zachary. Chewing on her lip, she weighed the pros and cons. "If you want to continue what we're doing, I have one condition…"

Zac suddenly became apprehensive. He frowned, perplexed. "And what's that?"

She leaned forward and snuck a hand around to grab his ass. He leapt into the air, a small yelp echoing throughout the parking garage. She produced a pack of Marlboro cigarettes that had been stashed in his back jean pocket. Zac went beet red while Yvonne raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"Get rid of these," she ordered. "That's my one pet peeve—"

Zac snatched the Marlboros from her grasp and chucked it over his shoulder.

"I quit."

Yvonne pressed her lips together, trying to hide a smile.

"Was smoking the only thing keeping me from you, Yvonne?"

Yvonne bent over to collect her purse. Standing up, she walked till she was toe-to-toe with Zac. "That," she admitted, bringing a hand to caress a cheek, "and Catlin Crosby." She lightly tapped the side of his face, and then brushed past him to the Nissan's passenger door.

Zac found himself standing there with a thoughtful, but stunned look on his face. The car horn then honked insistently; he looked over his shoulder and saw Yvonne leaning over her seat into the driver's side, smiling wickedly at him.

"Hurry up! You need to take me home!" She yelled. "I have to feed Chazzie and Wilbur!"

Nodding curtly, he walked to his car and hummed to the tune of, _"Scotty Doesn't Know," _now dubbed, _"Timmy Doesn't Know,"_ under his breath.

He had to admit, it _did _have a nice ring to it.

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><p><strong>Note: <strong>I so apologize for this. I'm sorry Zac and Yvonne... :( I know that their portrayals must be ooc, but I seriously tried to make it as real as I could. So if they did sound like Chuck and Sarah, well, tough, because I know those characters pretty well unlike the actors themselves.

Please R&R if you weren't completely offended by this.

Also, Chuck Versus the Getaway will be coming up with a new chapter very soon!


	2. Favorite Fix

**An: **Thank you for the reviews, I honestly did not think this would receive much positive feedback, but look I was wrong! As I promised, I have come out with another chapter. To be perfectly clear, this fic may be smut when it's all said and done, but it is smut with heart_, _character development, and some semblance of an ongoing plot. So if all you want is hardcore, mindless sex scenes, this won't be the story for you. Oh and the timeline is fucked. So like in the show, ignore it, alright. Ignore it and just...just come.

Also, I could not have done this without my beta, Yumajii! Thank you!

R&R and Enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: Favorite Fix<strong>

_"When I come down, I can't replace the feeling of falling to my knees. And i'm sweatin' 'cause i'm fiendin'. I need it. You know that in the end (You're my favorite). I'll relapse again. (You're my favorite). I'm down to my tricks, you're my favorite fix," -_Favorite Fix, Artist Vs Poet.

To put it mildly, Zac was having a bad day.

He appeared before several cameras. Their lenses tightened in focus at the slightest movement; those operating them remained poised and ready for the scene to unfold. A single circle of stringent yellow light, thrown by the ceiling overhead, lay upon Zac's face like a beacon trying to identify a convict during a prison breakout. Numerous pairs of eyes were trained on him and waited in quiet anticipation.

What _should_ have transpired next was supposed to be second nature to the thirty-year old actor. His brain insisted for him to move but his body firmly resisted. He stood unnaturally still, the same way he'd sometimes come out of a nightmare as a child: paralyzed with fright, totally disorientated, not sure of where he was, let alone what he was doing.

Something was causing both his hands and feet to tingle uncontrollably. He felt like he had been kicked repeatedly in the gut; a hellacious migraine nearly bringing him to his knees while he struggled to remain upright, conscious. _Ugh, I'm going to be sick, _he thought, eyes watering. _Stupid ultimatum. Why did I have to agree to it?_

An elbow nudged gently at his side and brought him out from his musings. Zac blinked furiously, glancing sideways to find Josh Gomez looking at him strangely. Zac opened his mouth to speak. Before he could, another voice boomed: "OK, CUT!"

Suddenly all of the cameras shut off. The lights dimmed and the cast and crew of _Chuck _began milling around the Pasadena Church as they began (once again) to reset for another take.

"Dude, what's wrong with you?" asked Josh during the commotion. "You've been 'off' today."

They turned and faced each other. Both were wearing tuxedos, dressed as the best-man and the groom respectively. Where Josh appeared well-groomed and looking sharp, Zac was the exact opposite. Josh noticed this and furrowed his brows. Someone from the art department then approached both of them, applying a layer of make-up onto Zac's pale complexion, and moved to Josh, where she pampered him as well. Left alone once more, Zac shrugged helplessly. "It's complicated," he said.

_It's complicated. _That was a vague response. But even so, it described Zac's current situation perfectly. A week ago, he did not know the meaning of complicated. It was not until the moment he kissed Yvonne that life took a rather unexpected turn. Not only was he constantly lying to preserve his _relationship _with his female co-star, but he had to contend with _Chuck's _nearing cancellation as well as his decision to quit smoking. The symptoms of his withdrawal were particularly brutal—both mental and physical, he felt as though each breath could be his last. He had also been suffering from frequent bouts of insomnia since the night he and Yvonne began their love affair.

Since then, Zac had been on edge. He felt like a junkie searching for his next fix; it was pathetic and debilitating, not to mention completely exhausting. The saddest part was that he could not explain any of this to Josh, or hell, anyone else for that matter. Zac knew that if he continued to keept his and Yvonne's dirty little secret like his own personal burden, it'd no doubt destroy them both.

Josh was unconvinced by his friend's ambiguity. "Whatever you say," he told Zac warily, "but you look like shit."

"—what's up with the two of you?" Robert Duncan McNeill, the director of the episode shouted as he made a beeline straight for Zac and Josh. "Guys, we've been working on this one scene for almost thirty minutes and I am seeing no improvement." He addressed Zac specifically, "You look like shit, are you sick?"

As Zac was about to shake his head and deny his accusations, Josh replied for him. "He needs a break, Robert. I think all of us do."

The director sighed, "Fine. Let's take a fifteen minute break and then be prepared to act your asses off for take forty-five, alright?

Zac shot the bearded man an appreciative smile, "Thanks guys, I think I just need a breath of fresh air and I'll be good to go."He told both men, slapping the older of the two on the shoulder before heading for the church's entrance.

"You better be rehearsing, Zac!" Robert yelled across the chapel, "I don't want us to be here all night!"

With a quick thumbs-up over his head, Zac ducked out of the building. Robert and Josh watched him disappear behind double doors and then exchanged confused looks.

"Do I want to know what's really going on with him?" The director asked flatly.

Josh half-smiled. "Well he _did _say it was complicated."

* * *

><p>As time began to tick down slowly, Zachary carefully assessed his surroundings while walking across the cobblestone path that'd lead him to the parking lot several yards away. <em>Don't bring attention to yourself, <em>he told himeslf as he passed an elderly couple. He smiled politely with a curt nod; _the last thing you want right now is to be somehow distracted. _

The plan was simple: Zac would go to his car and grab the pack of Marlboros he kept stashed in the overhead compartment in case of such an emergency. He'd make himself scarce; light up a quick smoke and relax until he had to resume filming. Zac was positive that it would behoove the entire _Chuck _crew if he could manage to sneak just one cigarette passed Yvonne.

Once he traveled about half-way down the path, (with his car now in plain sight) Zac came to a bench table where three familiar faces sat, talking animatedly while enjoying their lunch together. He tried avoiding them, keeping his head down as he sped up his pace into a brisk walk. But unbeknownst to him, he had been caught before he could make one more step towards his saving grace.

"Hey, Zac!" a female voice called. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

He briefly considered the idea of ignoring her and going on about his business. But of course, the nagging voice inside of his head (admonishing him for being selfish and rude) forced him against it. Zac let out a bitter sigh and turned around, feigning a smile at the small group of women.

It was Sarah Lancaster who had spoken to him. She was waving him over to come join them. Zac was close to just making a break for it, but his feet betrayed him and ended up dragging his body away from the silver Nissan.

At the table next to Sarah was Mekenna Melvin. The young actress chanced a quick glance at Zac, smiled shyly and then returned to picking at her half-eaten salad. Across from them sat Yvonne. Her curly blonde locks swayed lightly in the breeze; she looked at him with twinkling eyes. Like Zac, they were all clothed in wedding attire. Sarah and Mekenna in bridesmaids' gowns, Yvonne in her beautiful white dress.

"Uh, I really wish I could stay and chat but I promised Robert that I'd go straight to the bathroom and be right back to filming," Zac hastily explained.

This drew questioning looks from the trio of actresses.

"Isn't the bathroom inside?" Mekenna spoke up, frowning.

Yvonne raised a brow. "Where are you off to, Zac?"

Zac swallowed thickly. His mouth went dry and felt like sandpaper. The longer her stalled, the worse his physical symptoms became. That, and Yvonne's scrutiny was not helping his withdrawals much either. "I'm going to go…take a walk…rehearse my lines…"

He began backpedaling down the grass slope in the hopes that Yvonne would not notice his suspicious behavior. But luck was not on Zachary Levi's side, and as he turned towards the parking lot, a hand grabbed him by the arm and prevented him from fleeing.

He looked over his shoulder and was confronted by a very stern-looking Yvonne. Zac gave her an exaggerated smile. "Wow, you look spectacular today," he tried placating her. "I mean, you're practically glowing-"

She cut him off. "Where are you _really _going?"

"Nowhere," he lied. Yvonne's eyes narrowed and he quickly amended, "I was gonna go smoke."

"I thought you said you quit?"

Zac lowered his voice and confessed. "See funny that you asked that, because when I said that I "quit" it was sort of in the heat of passion, and I wasn't considering the fact that I would be in serious amounts of pain for the next month."

Her expression softened. "Is it that bad?" She asked quietly.

"Well it hasn't been exactly rainbows and butterflies if that's what you're asking."

Yvonne bit her lower lip and stared at Zac with compassion in her azure eyes . "I think I know something that will make you feel better," she told him and stole quick furtive glances in either direction before adding, "Come on."

She offered him a hand. Zac, while confused, wasn't going to reject Yvonne. He was just relieved that she wasn't resenting him for almost violating her "no smoking" ultimatum. And so he took her hand and allowed Yvonne to guide him back towards the church.

* * *

><p>They entered through a side corridor which led them into a smaller chamber annexed by the church. It was deserted save for the miniature alter built at its end; hangings, religious linens, and other vestments that were scattered throughout the room. Zac crossed over the threshold first with Yvonne now standing behind him. He allowed his eyes to wander around briefly; recognized that they were inside the church's sacristy and felt the corners of his lips pull into a smile.<p>

"Where did you stumble upon this place?" He asked out of genuine curiosity. "You know it's off-limits to the public, right?"

Yvonne pushed the door shut and walked up beside him. "I found it by accident," she explained defensively. "Yesterday, when everyone was still prepping for the funeral scene, I felt like exploring and this room caught my eye. Perfect, isn't it?"

"Perfect, huh?" He repeated. "Perfect for what exactly?"

Her lips curved into a coy smile. "For relaxing," she answered and pointed to a cabinet that had been turned over, adorned with more religious decorations. "Take a seat."

Zac noted the mischievous glint in her eyes and decided to play along. He lifted up onto the cabinet and looked to Yvonne for further instructions. "Now what?" He asked with earnest.

She glided towards him with her white dress billowing behind her. Zac felt his body tense unconsciously. His heart was rattling against his ribcage as she neared. That look she once beheld in her crystal blue eyes had turned from innocent playfulness to just plain sinful. He audibly gulped.

"Now," Yvonne announced in a sultry tone. "I want you to close your eyes, Zac."

He wordlessly followed instructions. Eyes closed, he muttered. "You're beginning to concern me, Yvonne...but what's next?"

He felt her warm breath ghost over his ear and shivered. "Just relax," Yvonne whispered softly. She sank down to her knees and began to undress Zac: first it was the belt, then the buttons and finally the zipper. Once she managed to pull his black pants down to his ankles, she watched Zac as he shifted uncomfortably upon the cabinet's flat surface.

"Zac, I told you to relax," Yvonne said, a hint of annoyance in her tone.

"Are you sure nobody's going to find us?"

She rolled her eyes. "We could have been easily found in the parking garage…so I would not worry about anyone finding us here."

Zac bit his lip and realized that she was right. Since there was no use in arguing with her, he cracked open an eye and glanced downward to where Yvonne was nestled in between his legs. "Touché," he said and nodded, "As you were."

Yvonne interpreted this as her cue to begin. Seeing that he was already getting aroused, she brushed her hand lightly against the growing bulge concealed by his boxer shorts; felt him harden at contact and then continued to stroke him in the same soft manner. Zac clenched his teeth and rewarded her with a strangled hiss. She relished in every noise Zac made and loved to be the only one who could make him lose control.

"God…feels so good," he moaned freely.

She mentally chuckled. Now with the desire to truly _feel _Zac this time around, she tugged his boxers off his hips and ousted his fully erect cock. She admired it for a moment then traced her fingertips along the base to the tip of the head. His throbbing member twitched in pleasure. Zac whimpered and began to mumble incoherently under his breath.

_He's so stressed out, _Yvonne realized soulfully. _Poor thing, I should've never forced him to quit smoking on the spot like that. _

She caressed him once more, then fastened both hands tightly around his rock-hard cock, pumping him slowly. Zac stiffened as she bowed her head and licked up his entire length; flicking the end with the fork of her tongue. She repeated this act several times, each more agonizingly slow than the next. Her gaze focused solely on Zac as she gauged his reactions.

Zac craved for more. He rocked into her when his desire for her touch became overwhelming. Yvonne sensed this and eagerly took him into her mouth. She wrapped her lips around his cock and began sucking, nipping and licking every inch of him. She drove Zac into frenzy. He groaned as she used one hand in tandem of her mouth, her tongue sliding up and down his length while the other hand gently massaged his balls. Eyes squeezed shut, Zac threaded his fingers through Yvonne's hair. He pressed her against him and urged her to devour him whole. She obliged and his thrusts became wild and untamed. Yvonne raked her teeth lightly across his slick flesh and Zac cried out, his lament echoing throughout the empty room.

When Yvonne felt his legs shake uncontrollably—his breaths short and clipped, she knew he was approaching his climax. She increased the momentum by pumping faster, swirling her tongue on the underside of his erection, gently nibbling the sensitive skin. Zac gripped the sides of the cabinet until his knuckles bled white. He peered through his bleary vision and settled upon Yvonne, watching her work in silent awe. She felt his eyes on her. She lifted her gaze to catch him peaking and grinned devilishy; flattened her tongue and trailed it up his aching member. That was the final straw that sent Zac to the brink. He surrendered to Yvonne entirely and breathed her name like a reverence as she swept him into a blissful oblivion.

He sat there uselessly while Yvonne cleaned up the mess. His dick grew limp while she licked him in attempt to ease Zac from his high. He sighed in happy relief; she pulled back, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and rose to her feet. Zac watched her closely with his chocolate doe eyes. He smiled lazily, but here was a touch of sadness to it.

"Feeling better?" She asked.

He nodded, "Yeah. Thank you." While he did sound grateful, Yvonne sensed that there was still something else that was bothering Zac. He got dressed without meeting her eyes. The room became so unbearably silent that she could hear a pin drop. Yvonne frowned, feeling both hurt and confused.

"You're awfully quiet," she observed. "Will you please tell me what is really wrong with you?"

Zac tucked in his white undershirt and began buttoning up his black jacket, "What are we doing, Yvonne?" He asked exasperatedly, head still down. His gaze flickered to hers, "You have a boyfriend and regardless of who it is, you shouldn't be cheating. Tim doesn't deserve that…and it's not fair, to him or me." Zac ran his fingers through his damp messy curls. "I don't want to keep hiding our relationship from the world, or make sneaking around a permanent habit. All I want is for this to be real…"

"It _is _real," Yvonne argued. "I promise."

"Then prove it. End it with Tim, or else…" Zac truly appeared to be conflicted. He swallowed and finished, "or else we're done."

"Wait, Zachary—"

Yvonne was interrupted mid-sentence when Zac dug a hand into his pocket and retrieved his phone. It was vibrating with an incoming call. She fell silent when Zac held her gaze before answering, "Hello? It's been thirty minutes already?" His demeanor changed into that of humiliation. "Fuck, hey I'll be there in a few. Tell everyone I am so, so sorry, Josh!" There was a long pause. "Where was I? I was…rehearsing for the scene like Rob told me to," he lied and saw Yvonne trying not to look smug. "Yup, ok. I'll see you." Zac put away his phone and directed his attention back to her. "I have to go, but we'll discuss this later."

He bent forward and gave Yvonne a peck on the lips. She felt her cheeks burn hot; a spectrum of emotions flitted across from her face, ranging from infatuation to mystification. Her heart began to ache the moment Zac abandoned the sacristy. She knew deep inside what she had to do, as much as it frightened her to finally admit it. Her chest tightened and breathing felt like a lost luxury.

So this was what addiction felt like.

Her favorite fix was gone. It was like he had never existed at all. Yvonne pressed a finger to her trembling lips. She had to tell Tim it was over. She had to let him go. Because like Zac said, he did not deserve this kind of betrayal. No one did. Sighing, she retreated out of the restricted room, one burning question still lingering in the forefronts of her mind.

How was she going to break the news to him?

* * *

><p><span>The More You Know: <span>The Sacristy (where the naughty part went down) is where the priest goes after a sermon or whatever to clean up and chill. Its a holy place and off limits to everyone but the priests. So double naughty points for Zac and Yvonne.

**An: **Told you this wouldn't just be smut! And my, did you see some angst in there? Don't worry, its the good kind. I mean, Zac and Yvonne can't just have a secret affair without some drama and consequences for their bad behavior, right?


	3. Driven By Their Beating Hearts

**An: **Wow, look at all these reviews! That's just amazing, thank you guys! Well, here I am with another chapter of Zachonne goodness. As I promised, this story does have a plot and there will be angst (good angst) in this chapter as well as fluff and some smut.

Once again, I'll thank my beta, Yumajii for being awesome as always!

R&R and perhaps if our will is strong enough, these two crazy kids will finally get together!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three: Driven By Their Beating Hearts<strong>

"_There's people, people going out of their minds. Right into each other's home, but I only want to be with you. There's people, people getting out of their cars. Driven by their beating hearts, but I only want to be with you,"_—Driven By Their Beating Hearts, A Silent Film.

_Chuck _had finally come to an end. Or at least for the summer until the cast and crew would hopefully return to film for its fifth season. The wrap-up party had been the night before. Yvonne had her fare share of excitement during the festivities; she partied, danced, and drank until her vision doubled and standing upright became nearly impossible. This made each goodbye almost bearable. There were tears (both happy and sad) but the impact hadn't hurt her as much as it would have if she were still sober.

Zac was there, of course. He was the star after all. But he kept himself busy with literally everyone else but her. They exchanged pleasantries when forced to do so, but there was obvious hurt left between them that had Yvonne feeling petrified with guilt. She had yet to call Tim. Fear prevented her from the inevitable confrontation. She did not want to lose either man; while Time was her safety net, Zac was something new, foreign. He evoked a whole different side to her and she dreaded the moment when those passionate feelings would disperse all because she was too much of a coward to do anything about it.

Now it was around noon the following day. Yvonne woke up on her couch to the sound of rain tapping against the window pane of her apartment. She was still wearing her pastel dress with make-up caked onto her face. She normally never got so drunk, mostly because of the hangover that would surely follow, but it was worth it this time around. She needed to be numb that night.

The next few hours passed with Yvonne shedding her clothes and taking a nice, hot shower. She ate a late breakfast (orange juice, toast, and three aspirin) and then settled herself back to the couch where she scanned the television for something to watch. When the symptoms of the hangover diminished, and her mind cleared, Yvonne decided it was the perfect time to call Tim and end it once and for all.

She dialed his number and let it ring once before he heard his voice:

"Yvonne, hey love, what's up?"

Bile rose up in her throat when she replied in a mechanical voice:

"Tim, we need to talk…"

So the conversation should have ended with her breaking up with Tim. It was sure heading in that direction in the beginning. But then everything changed once the nerves got the best of her. From what was supposed to be the final termination of their relationship, it became a temporary separation. The phone call ended with Tim being unhappy but somewhat understanding while Yvonne sank into the couch, using a pillow as a soundboard as she screamed out her frustrations.

This was a dilemma.

And instead of redialing Tim and explaining what _really _was going on, Yvonne texted Zac instead. She could not handle him ignoring her any longer. It was painful to feel alone, both physically and emotionally. Therefore, she shot him a short, simple message that would surly end whatever grudge he held against her.

**It's done.**

Zac never returned the text and that worried her. She wondered if he had completely washed his hands of her or perhaps he was just unavailable. It did not take a genius to know that Zachary Levi kept himself busy at all times. Whether it'd be acting, playing videogames, engaging in extreme sports, going to a baseball or basketball game, and working on the Nerd Machine, he always had something to do.

_Its ok, I'm sure he'll call me later when he's free to talk, _Yvonne assured herself. The remainder of the day consisted in her choosing to stay home and relax, god knows she needed it. And so she occupied her thoughts with her movie library; watching film after film, hoping her phone would ring with Zac's face displayed on the screen.

But her phone remained dead.

Yvonne sighed. Once the credits began to roll, she popped in yet another movie before falling back into the couch with a loud huff.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, (and five movies later) Yvonne heard someone knocking on the door. She was surprised to find Zac at her doorstep bearing two bottles of wine and a winning smile. By then the storm had subsided into a light drizzle. The sweet smell of fresh rain swept throughout Los Angeles; soaking the paved roads while the streetlights flickered, and twilight peaked overhead.<p>

Her dogs (both had been munching on their dinner) were alerted of the new visitor and padded across the hardwood floor to the entrance where they sat obediently, tails wagging with excitement. Yvonne held the door partly ajar so that neither of them would escape.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in surprise.

"And hello to you too," replied Zac dryly. He was dripping wet and shaking. "Do you mind if I come in? It's sort of…cold out here."

Yvonne nodded and let him inside the apartment. She watched as he quickly set his gifts on the kitchen countertop and removed his favorite striped hoodie that had been soaked from the rain. His Nerd shirt was mostly dry as was his jeans and Chucks. He ran a hand through his damp, unkempt hair.

"Thank you," he said and gave her a kiss. "I didn't know if you were going to be home tonight or out doing something else." Glancing over her shoulder, he saw the soft glow of the television. He brought his attention to Yvonne, who was casually dressed a grey sweatshirt and a pair of shorts. "I see that you've been taking advantage of our first day off from work, huh?" Zac jested playfully.

Yvonne blushed once realizing how plain and unattractive she must have looked to him. "I felt like being lazy," was her half-hearted excuse.

"You're lucky. I wish I could've stayed home and immersed myself in videogames, instead I had to go to that Nerd Machine meeting I had rescheduled a few weeks ago, which is why I had trouble returning your text…."

The image of Zac pinning her to the hood of his car suddenly flashed before her eyes. Yvonne blinked, her cheeks burning as she recalled their first encounter in the parking garage. Her heart suddenly felt like it weighed a ton. While she was thrilled to have him there, it also reminded her of Tim and how her white lie was beginning to spiral out of control.

_I need Zac to know the truth from me before he finds out some other way, _Yvonne mused. _But how am I supposed to do that exactly? Tim thinks that we will reconcile and try again while Zac believes we're in the clear to be a real couple. _She inwardly cringed. How could she have let this get so bad, so quickly?

"—hello, Yvonne?" Zac waved a hand in her face, breaking Yvonne from her reverie. "Ok and we're back. Where would you like for me to put these?" He asked, indicating the bottles of wine.

Still in a daze, she answered: "Oh, you can put them in the refrigerator."

Zac stole a questioning glance before carrying the drinks to the kitchen. Chazzie and Wilbur followed; licking, pawing and nuzzling him as he opened the fridge and placed each bottle in their respective place. Just as he was about the close the door, he hesitated, an amused smile stretching across his lips.

"What's with the whipped cream?" He said, shaking the can while shooting Yvonne a wink. "We're you expecting something to happen tonight?"

_I wasn't even expecting you to show up, _Yvonne rolled her eyes and replied. "My parents came over for dinner a few nights ago. They brought some desert and we ended up having leftovers."

Zac tilted his head innocently, "Oh." And he proceeded to blast the desert topping into his open mouth. "So, what were you watching that had you reduced to couch-potato status all day?"

"I was having a movie marathon…you know, the classics: _The Hills Have Eyes, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, _and_ A Nightmare on Elm Street_…"

"I forgot you were a horror movie fanatic," Zac chuckled. "I can't really say I'm into the genre myself..."

Yvonne walked to him and snatched the can of whipped cream from out of his outstretched hand. He frowned like a petulant child. "Too bad, because you are going to either suck it up and watch," she smirked, "Or else I don't think you can spend the night—"

Zac's face lit up. "You know I was just playing around," he amended, chasing after Yvonne as she moved into the living room. "I'm _obsessed _with scary movies. I can't get enough of them."

"Really?" The Aussie raised a brow. "Well then I'm sure you'll be happy to know that we're going to be watching some of my favorites next."

Plopping onto the couch, he asked. "Yeah, and what would those be?"

Yvonne skimmed her shelf crammed with DVDs and picked out the three she was searching for. "These," She spun around and showed Zac, who's eyes grew in size.

"_Scream_," he gulped. "Nice choice."

"It's not _just Scream_, it's the entire trilogy!" Yvonne squealed gleefully. "They're seriously the best! They were my '90's—Wes Craven is the greatest horror director ever, and don't get me started on Neve Campbell! I totally idolize her; she's so tough as Sidney Prescott and I actually try emulating her characteristics when I play Sarah Walker."

"I had no idea you were this…passionate about these movies."

"It's my secret guilty pleasure," she explained. "Don't even get me started on _Scream 4_, the premier is next week and I would give an arm and leg to be able to go…" Suddenly, Yvonne appeared crestfallen. She shook her head, "Oh well, never mind. Did you want to pour us some wine? The glasses are in the cabinet above the fridge."

Zac nodded. "Sure," he said with a smile. As Yvonne got the DVD player set up for their _Scream _marathon, he went to the kitchen, noting how animated she became when discussing the movie premier. He filed this information away into his brain for future use.

* * *

><p>After several glasses of wine and almost half of the can of whipped cream later, dusk had turned to night and the storm had returned with a vengeance. It was a torrential downpour; rain slamming into the roof of the apartment while thunder roared, wind howled and streaks of lightning illuminated the living room with a bright blue glow.<p>

Yvonne was adamant that this was the ideal weather for watching horror movies. The atmosphere was unnaturally still and deathly quiet save for the racket outside and from the film itself. Zac was sitting on the couch with Yvonne lying across his lap, idly playing with his hands during the more frightening sequences in the movie.

They were now at the climax of the film. The Ghostface killers were revealed while the heroine, Sidney Prescott made her final confrontation.

"_You sick fucks, you've seen one too many movies!" Sidney whispers while the killers begin stabbing each other in attempt to make themselves look like the true survivors. _

"_Now, Sid!" Billy Loomis yells, covered in blood, "Don't you dare blame the movies! Movies don't create psychos; they just make psychos more creative!"_

_He proceeds to stab his accomplice in the gut. Stu moans: "Would you stop it, Billy? I can't take it anymore. I'm feeling a little woozy here!"_

"This is fucking insane," Zac muttered as the scene continued. "Why do you like this again?"

"Because," Yvonne replied seriously. "There is something really scary about a guy with a knife who just…snaps."

"And you like being scared?"

"It's good to be scared. It's primal instinct."

Zac smiled. "Yeah, well I suppose you're right."

Yvonne flipped onto her back and gazed up at him. Her cheeks were rosy from multiple glasses of wine as well as her eyes hazy and filled with a hint of lust. "Besides, scary movies are great foreplay…"

"Are they now, Ms. Horror-movie expert?"

She beamed and said nothing. Zac absently brushed errant curls over her ear, then concentrated back to the movie. The killers both appeared to be dead. One had been crushed by a TV while the other had been shot. Zac grabbed his glass of wine, taking a long sip while Sidney Prescott approached her psycho boyfriend's body, nudging him with her foot.

"This is the best part," Yvonne spoke lowly.

"_Careful," Randy Meeks, the nerdy protagonist warns Sidney. "This is the moment when the supposedly dead killer comes back to life for one last scare."_

_Just then, Billy Loomis springs up, miraculously alive. He screams, drenched in blood. Everyone yelps in terror but Sidney levels her gun and shoots Billy in the forehead. He falls back, dead._

"_Not in my movie," Sidney says with a smirk._

Zac had jumped in fright, spilling his wine on his shirt while Yvonne burst into laughter. She slipped off him and watched as he tried to clean himself up to no avail. While he recovered from his little scare, she had taken the opportunity to retrieve her phone.

"What's your favorite scary movie, Zac?"

His heart leapt into his throat at the voice which mimicked the Ghostface Killer. He glanced towards Yvonne, who held her IPhone to her lips, grinning evilly. He scowled, "What are you doing? Is that seriously an app now?"

She spoke again, "I want to play a little game, Zac. If you lose, you die. If you win, you die!"

"I think we should play a little game, but without the consequences of death of course."

Yvonne placed her phone on the table. She looked at him curiously. "Really, what kind of game?"

"A fun game," he replied and removed his wine-stained shirt.

She snorted. "So you're being strangely cryptic as you propose a _game_ while taking off your shirt."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Yvonne."

"I think I am being quite pragmatic concerning the circumstances."

Zac stood up and she watched him collect the wine glasses and take them to the sink. He was totally shirtless and Yvonne found herself being unable to look away. When he returned, she seized him by a belt loophole and yanked him towards her into a searing kiss. Yvonne tasted the bitterness of the wine and then the sweetness of the whipped cream on his tongue, causing her to moan. As she became more aggressive, Zac broke the kiss.

"Why did you stop?" She complained.

"Because I wanted to play the game, remember?"

Yvonne sighed exasperatedly; falling back into the couch with her head angled to the ceiling. "You're like a child, I swear." She told him and heard Zac chuckle.

"Why, because I like to have fun?"

She shot him an annoyed look. "That's exactly it," was her sarcastic reply. Taking the can of whipped cream, she shook it and then sprayed it at Zac, watching his expression change to shock in an instant.

His entire upper body was coated in the sticky cream. Zac wiped his face with the back of his hand and glared at Yvonne. There was a dangerous glint in his eye.

"What was that for?" He asked darkly.

Yvonne had no comeback. She merely swallowed as Zac took a daunting step towards the couch. She dropped the empty can of whipped cream and braced herself. A part of her was truly nervous while the other (more dominant) part was turned-on. Zac loomed over her, his chocolate eyes boring into blue.

Instead of him attacking her like she had initially anticipated, Zac surprised her by sinking onto his knees, nestling in between her with his hands resting on top of either leg. He pulled down her shorts without explanation, leaving her lower half bear with only her paper-thin panties covering her.

He glanced up at her and said. "This is the game we're going to play. The object is for you to call somebody randomly on the phone, and while you try to keep a conversation," he purposefully swept a finger across her panties causing Yvonne to squirm. Zac smirked, "I get to have my revenge down here…understand?"

It was not like she had a choice in the matter. And so Yvonne simply nodded an affirmative, her drunken haze making it difficult to tell what exactly Zac was droning on about. She was still captivated by the way he had touched her and demanded for more.

"Good, now pick up your phone. Close your eyes and scroll through the contact list," Zac instructed, adding with an impish grin, "and don't even think about peaking, Ms. Strahovski."

Yvonne shivered, but followed his orders exactly. She held the IPhone in her palm and blindly picked a phone number, and then hit the send button. The phone began to ring and Zac hooked his fingers around her panties, slowly tugging them down while she waited impatiently for the mystery person to answer.

On the second ring, she frowned and asked. "What if nobody picks up?"

The response she received was in the form of hot kisses pressing a fiery path into the inside of her thighs. She inhaled a sharp breath, her hand unconsciously curled around her phone once Zac became dangerously close to her center. The seconds dragged on and Yvonne felt Zac bury himself deep inside her. She was at his complete mercy and all she could do was peer through a half-lidded gaze and silently watch him work.

It was disturbing to know just how easily Zac could satisfy her. He was lazy, methodical and it drove her crazy. There was no rush. But she needed more. The desire for pleasure outweighed Zac and his juvenile game. And so she taunted him, "Is that…the best you can do?"

Zac perked up at the challenge. He lifted his head and stared at her with smoldering eyes; slowly teasing her clit with the tip of his tongue. The look he conveyed to her was carnivorous, lusting and it stole her breath away.

Yvonne felt her skin crawl with shivers of delight. Her arousal intensified—heart racing, her breath haggard and out of control, her entire body writhing under the mere flick of his tongue…

"God, you taste so good," Zac mumbled against her navel and she could barely hear him above the storm, the phone and the blood drumming into her ears. "Please come for me, Yvonne…"

She was about to submit, but a new voice broke her trance and answered: "Hello?"

It was her phone. Somebody had finally picked up. Yvonne took a calming breath and replied, "Um…hi?"

Zac chuckled lowly, sending vibrations through her body to where she collapsed into the couch with an audible gasp. Without hesitation, she felt the addition of his pinkie finger enter her and move in conjunction with his tongue. The sensation rendered her paralyzed; bolts of electricity shooting through her like the shock of lightning.

"Yvonne?" the familiar voice brought her back from the edge of oblivion, asking worriedly. "Eve, is that you?"

Eve. That was her nickname and only her parents, close friends, or significant other would call her. Like a fog at sea, her eyes cleared upon the terrible realization of who she had called. Yvonne exclaimed, "Tim?" leapt off the couch, knocking off Zac over in the process. He hit the ground with a hard thud.

The dogs woke up to the commotion. They waddled over to where Zac currently lay sprawled on his back and began to lap at the excess whipped cream still clinging to his hair and face. He came to, hissing in pain. Yvonne ignored him as she pulled up her panties while stepping over his body in her haste. Zac pushed himself forward and rubbed the newly formed lump on his head with watery eyes.

"What the hell?"Zac muttered under his breath. He saw as the half-naked blonde stood frozen in the middle of the room, a hand over her mouth.

"Why did you call me?" Tim Loden asked tiredly. "I just finally got to sleep."

"I'm so sorry," apologized Yvonne. "I must've dialed you by accident…"

"Of course, well before I go and lay in bed for another couple of hours, I wanted to tell you something I had on my mind. It's really important and—"

She shook her head, "No, no, Tim, you don't have to say anything."

"I do," he replied. "So please, Eve, just let me say what I need to say."

The use of her nickname made her sigh in resignation. "Fine," she conceded.

"Ok, well I had some time to think about your proposal, and I'll admit that I reacted…poorly." Tim admitted with bitterness in his tone, "But now I understand where you're coming from. You're in a demanding profession and being able to hold any sort of relationship—platonic or romantic, it would be hard to maintain."

Yvonne dipped her head in shame. "Tim, please…"

"—so, what I'm trying to say is that if you wanted a break from me, I get it and I'll back your decision no matter what. Just know that I'll always be here for you in case you're ready to try again."

"Thank you, Tim." She choked out whilst trying to separate herself from Zac. "But I need to tell you that—"

Tim cut her off: "Evy, I said my piece. All I want you to know before I hang up is that I still and always will love you."

Yvonne felt sick to her stomach. "I…I…" she stuttered unsurely.

"Good night, Yvonne."

The phone went dead. Everything became deafening silent: the storm had ceased once again, but the dial tone buzzed monotonously. Her heart was hammering unrelentingly; bile rising into her throat. Yvonne hugged the phone to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut.

Why was this happening to her?

_It's now or never, I have to tell Zac. _

"You lied to me," she turned around and saw Zac standing across the room. The anger and betrayal outlining his face flickered from the glow of the TV screen. He glared at her, his voice laced with disgust.

Her phone had been on speaker the entire time. Zac had been listening to her conversation with Tim. _Oh no, no, no, no! _"I tried breaking up with him, Zac, I swear, but—"she desperately tried to save what little respect he still had for her.

"—but what?" He snapped harshly. Yvonne flinched. "You told him that this was only a temporary break and that'd you try again _later_?" His voice was strained, borderline hysterical. Yvonne had never seen him so furious, so heartbroken before. "Did I really mean something to you or was I being used just because you were bored?"

"Zachary, it's not like that at all, just listen to me, please!" She begged. "I want to be with you, I honestly do with all my heart but…its—"

"Don't dare say _it's complicated_," he said coldly. "Because it's pretty damn simple: you have to choose between me and Tim. You can't have both. That's not how it works…"

When Yvonne was unable to answer, Zac shook his head in defeat. He pushed past her, grabbing his shirt, jacket and car keys while stopping briefly to get his shoes. He approached the front door when she summed enough courage to speak.

"Why did you even kiss me?" Yvonne wondered aloud. Her back to Zac, he stopped in mid-step. "Was there even a reason, or?"

"You know where I stand," Zac responded thickly. "I kissed you because it was stupid. Stupid in the sense that if I showed you how I truly felt then maybe you and I could have been something more than…this."

Yvonne faced him. "How do you truly feel about me?"

He held her gaze, and then confessed. "I feel like I'm in love with you and knowing that makes what you're doing that much worse."

She stared at him, speechless. "You…love _me?" _It sounded like the most ridiculous question but somehow made perfect sense. He loved her. Zachary Levi Pugh loved _her. _He suffered through a mindless fling because he wanted to pursue a relationship with her. He was never bored. He was never looking for an adrenaline rush. He was only looking for something _real. _

_His first kiss, _she recalled with awe. _That was a dead-giveaway and I completely dismissed it in the heat of passion. _That coupled with Zac going cold turkey for her, it should have been so obvious. He would have died for her if she asked.

Yvonne felt the tension leave her face and body, a smile at the corner of her lips. She took a tentative step towards him, repeating louder this time. "Zachary, you love me?"

Even in the shadows she could see his cheeks flushed bright red. He averted her gaze, looking away. "It was a mistake on my part," he whispered.

"No," she replied and closed the space between them. "It was _not _a mistake."

Yvonne cupped his face with both hands and pressed her body alongside his, claiming his lips in a deep kiss. Her fingers clenched in his unruly curls, the eager response of lips and tongue, and his skin, warm and bear against her hands. Zac let his clothes fall to the floor and attacked her with the same desperate fervor. When their bodies became entangled, he slid a hand through her hair and then broke the kiss.

"Yvonne…I can't keep doing this," he breathed.

She relaxed into his arms, nuzzling against his palm. "You don't have to," she mumbled, tilting her face up to his. "I love you, Zachary and I will not jeopardize that because I am afraid."

Zac stroked his thumb over her swollen lips, murmuring. "Why are you afraid?"

"It's absurd," she explained, feeling her eyes grow wet. "But I keep thinking that if I tell Tim the truth, and he leaves, that for some reason you'll end up leaving me too. I don't want to be alone and that's what scares me the most."

"I will _never _leave you, Yvonne." Zac promised, voice unwavering. "So do not ever feel like you're going to be alone when you have me right here, always."

She sniffed back tears and leaned into his chest. Zac wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He rested his chin on top of her head while petting her head soothingly. "I am going to call Tim tomorrow and tell him the truth," she told him.

"I know," he replied. "Thank you."

They stayed like this until sometime later when Yvonne had calmed down. Zac asked quietly, "Do you want me to put in another movie, or do you just want to go to bed?"

"Bed," she told him, paused and added, "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course," he smiled. And he pressed his lips to her forehead before picking her up in his arms and carrying her into the bedroom. He kept the lights off; gently placed Yvonne onto her bed then joined her moments later. She instinctively curled into his body, her face in the crook of his shoulder.

Yvonne fell asleep soon thereafter. Zac held her protectively in his arms until he too dozed off. The storm had finally ended and all was quiet. The world was at peace and the remainder of the night was driven by their beating hearts.

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><p><strong>An: <strong>Ok, so not much smut compared to the first two chapters I think, but I had to sacrifice the nasty for some plot development. I hope it still evoked some real emotion from you, dear reader, maybe you feel soulful, angry (at me for whatever reason) or perhaps you have that stupid blissful smile plastered to your face because everything is finally working out for the best. Either way, no matter what you feel, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Fun times are ahead of us!

R&R


	4. Lullaby

**An: **As always, thank you for the kind review! I promised that I'd try and get another chapter out as fast as possible. This takes place the morning after last chapter. Um, as a warning, this story's time line is sort of inaccurate. I know Chuck finished filming along this time, and that Yvonne was supposed to be in Australia for the summer, but of course, I'm changing a few things. Also, the _Scream 4 _premier was Monday the eleventh and it hit theaters the fifteenth. So in this universe, it is April 10th, 2011.

Don't question the timeline, think of it like you're watching an episode of _Chuck. _Just sit back and enjoy! Also, prepare to be heart warmed.

R&R!

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><p><strong>Chapter Four: Lullaby <strong>

"_While you were sleeping, I figured out everything: I was constructed for you, and you were molded for me. Now I feel your name coursing through my veins. You shine so bright, it's insane. You put the sun to shame," _–Lullaby, The Spill Canvas.

The misty rings around the streetlamps were gone by the time dawn began to brighten the sky in the east, and soon the day was clear and warm—the beginning of spring. There was hardly any indication of there ever being a storm; the sky was vast and cloudless, the earth below had dried and only the scent of yesterday's rain hung in the crisp air. The City of Angels slept soundlessly through Sunday as it were a carefree, melodic lullaby.

Inside of the Burbank apartment lay two figures: a man and a woman. They were tangled beneath the covers, their bodies melded into one entity. The blinds were drawn and rays of sun filtered through the glass windowpane, enveloping the entire bedroom with its rich, dazzling light. As morning went as followed, the sleeping lovers held each other in a lazy embrace, unperturbed.

That was until gentle vibrations caused one of them to stir.

Zac woke up to the sound of his phone buzzing in his back pocket. His eyes fluttered open; vision too sensitive to the light, he reached blindly for the source of the noise. Curling his fingers around device, he simply turned it off with the swipe of his thumb. He smacked his lips and yawned softly before returning to his slumber. Sleep should have come easy but Zac found it to be a hopeless feat. It wasn't like he was unable to physically relax because he felt his exhaustion tempting him into unconsciousness. The problem occurred once he drew in a deep breath and was ambushed by a sweet, delicious aroma (was it lavender, grapefruit, honey?) that wafted through his nose and set his senses on fire.

Zac sprang awake in his surprise. He became suddenly very aware of his surroundings, glancing around the bedroom to find himself pressed firmly against another body; he panicked until the memories from the night before flooded back into his mind. Shallow, even breaths ghosted over his bare skin. Her heart thumped with his in perfect unison.

_I guess it wasn't a dream, _he realized in silent awe. Zac lowered his gaze and watched as the angel resting beside him snuggled closer into his chest and smiled. He placed a hand on the small of her back and began to absently brush golden strands of hair out of her face. Her nose crinkled at the disturbance but then a tiny sigh escaped between closed lips and she became still.

"Yvonne…?" He called her name in a low, uncertain whisper. When she did not respond, Zac decided it was best to leave the blonde to her dreams. He smoothed out her tangled curls and planted a tender kiss on the top of her head.

Zac could hardly believe that Yvonne Strahovski—this incredible, unattainable woman—was curled up next to him. Unattainable. That's what she had been for so long. He'd convinced himself that she was his metaphorical forbidden fruit. Even when it seemed like he'd have his chance (at the parking garage and the church), the moment was fleeting. He was forced to accept the fact that while Yvonne was still with Tim, she couldn't be his…until the night before.

Then just like that, it was done, over, finite.

Zac was consumed by the feel of her soft skin brushing against his. He ached to touch her, his fingers twitching with desire. He closed his eyes and envisioned the taste of her lips; the sheer perfection of her porcelain features contrasted with golden tendrils spilling over the bedspread…

"Good morning," he heard her mumble sleepily. Zac opened his eyes again and Yvonne was staring at him, a lazy smile playing on her lips, "fancy seeing you here."

Zac returned her smile, asking. "Are you surprised?"

Beneath the covers, he felt her hand find his. Their fingers entwined.

"No," Yvonne said and rested her chin on top of his collarbone. "I knew you'd stay."

"I'm touched."

She furrowed her brows. "Is that sarcasm?"

He placed a hand on her cheek and stroked gently, "of course not."

Zac leaned forward and they shared a brief kiss.

"What time is it?" asked Yvonne curioulsy once parting from his lips. "I hope we didn't sleep half the day away already..."

Zac blinked. "Uh," and stealing a glance over his shoulder, he saw the digital clock on the nightstand and told her, "It's a little after eight." Biting his lip, he added unhappily. "I have to leave soon."

Yvonne sat up, visibly upset. "What? Why, where are you going?"

"It's Sunday…" he said but she gave him a blank stare and he sighed, elaborating. "I have this sermon thingy I do for those who don't want to go to church and rather hang at my place instead."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot..."

Zac noticed the obvious disappointment laced in Yvonne's tone. He propped himself up on his elbows and reminded her casually. "But, it doesn't begin until eleven…so I think I'll force myself to stay for a few more minutes here with you."

"Would it really be so horrible?"

"Well," Zac spoke with a shrug, clearly knowing where the conversation was heading. "I think I can suffer through it."

"Me too," And as she dipped her head to capture his lips with another needy kiss, Zac avoided her advances and disappeared beneath the covers. Yvonne almost fell over but managed to hold herself steady. She looked at the lump protruding out of her bed with confusion. "W—what are you doing?"

Zac's reply consisted in grabbing a hold of each leg, forcing Yvonne onto her back. She then felt him strip away her panties and leave a trail of wet kisses up along her thighs. She swallowed thickly; watching as he lifted the sheet over his head and grinned. "I'm picking up where we left off," he answered brightly.

Yvonne was about to retort but words failed her when Zac once again retreated beneath the comforter. She felt his tongue trace around her center and gasped; body going into shock as he licked her into frenzy. Her legs spasmed uncontrollably when several fingers slipped inside of her and began to move with his tongue. Yvonne dug her heels into the mattress, squirming restlessly and cried out. The pressure in her navel became so great that as the pleasure threatened to devour her whole, she felt faint and nearly succumbed to unconsciousness.

It was so unexpected, so natural. Yvonne relished in the bliss until she could endure no more. With a shout of pure ecstasy tearing from her throat, she arched her back and then fell into the pillows like a puppet whose strings had been cut free.

Zac appeared from out of the covers moments later. He crawled up to his knees and watched Yvonne glow with wordless adoration sparkling in his countenance. Her orgasm was fleeting; Yvonne gazed up at him through cloudy eyes and smiled goofily.

"Was that acceptable?"

Yvonne remained quiet, but gestured him with a finger to come closer. Raising an eyebrow, Zac carefully lowered himself on top of her. She brought her hand to the nape of his neck and pulled him forward, his lips crashing into hers. The heated kiss ended when Zac broke away for air; rolled onto his back and laughed.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"I really needed that," Yvonne sighed and angled her head towards him. "Thank you."

He wiggled his brows seductively, "No thanks necessary, you know I aim to please."

"And you please very, very well…"

There was a pregnant pause and both of them fell silent, glancing up at the ceiling. Zac was considering the time and how much longer he could afford to stay in bed while Yvonne was chewing on her bottom lip, deciding what she would have to do to keep him from leaving.

"Yvonne…" Zac addressed her quietly. She was currently fixed with the circular fan; its blades revolving above her, blasting the room with cool air. "I really need to get going but I promise that I'll call you later this afternoon so we can sort things out with Tim—"

He was interrupted when Yvonne flipped onto his stomach and firmly pinned him to the bed. Zac did not resist. He stared up at her with wide eyes; her knee kneading into his groin, he tried to bite back a groan.

"I guess I'm not leaving anytime soon, am I?" He asked weakly.

Yvonne chuckled, soft but bordering on dirty. "No, not until I say otherwise," she told him, her breath tickling his ear.

His face flushed hot as she sucked a kiss into the side of his neck. "I'm actually totally alright with this," he finally managed but was distracted by the things she was doing with her mouth. He was supposed to care about being coherent when she was pressed against him. Zac closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, drawing the sharp, musky tang of her arousal into his lungs.

"It's not like you had a choice, Zac."

"Uh," he began, but it turned into a low moan as Yvonne ran both hands down his chest, ending with her fingers stroking just under the waistband of his jeans. Then her voice dropped a register and breathed huskily.

"I want to repay you for what you did for me last night and this morning."

Zac almost choked on these words and his head fell back a little. He reached over her shoulder, threading his fingers into her hair and then pulling her forward into a sweltering kiss. She let him slide his tongue across hers, and then clawed at her sweatshirt. He tore it over her head and leaving her completely vulnerable.

He stared at Yvonne briefly, drinking in her flawless figure. Her breasts were supple and inviting; Zac trailed his fingertips across them, feeling her nipples pebble beneath his touch. Yvonne lifted her arms up and stretched luxuriously, rolling her shoulders and letting her eyes fall shut. Zac felt himself grow painfully hard when she let out a breathy moan and then he was met with an equally hot gaze.

She lowered her arms and ran a hand up his thigh and unbuttoned his jeans, tugging them down past his hips. He shucked them off the rest of the way (as with his boxers), revealing his now fully erect cock. It twitched the second Yvonne curled her fingers around its length and began to massage him slowly. Yvonne was so cute and so fucking sexy at the same time— Zac felt pole-axed by the combination, like his wires got crossed somewhere and they were sparking against each other, on the verge of shortening out indefinitely. He took a long-winded breath, letting it out shakily.

"Yvonne, I need you right now." He rasped, voice a rough whisper that might've embarrassed him minutes ago before he lost all sense. She answered his plea by shifting her body so that she was now straddling him. His weeping cock hugging her taut stomach, she took him into her grasp once more before sliding it inside her. They both sighed in equal relief, taking time to adjust to their sudden union. Once settled, Yvonne began to move.

With one hand clamped onto her hip to quicken the pace, Zac used the other to trail down between her legs. He saw how wet she was, slick and glistening, that he brushed his fingers back and forth across her folds, teasing and tickling. Yvonne writhed on top of him, making such incredible sounds when she continued to roll her hips at a breakneck speed. She was so deep; burying herself up to the hilt when Zac circled her clit without restraint.

Yvonne whimpered— saying his name in short gasps, and he knew she was getting close. A loud cry burst out of her and almost sent Zac to the brink. He groaned at the sight (and feeling) of her body locking, arching and trembling with the force of her climax. She was hot like fire and still so very wet. Zac bottomed out and froze; muscles rigid, cock throbbing and jerking as he tried to hold on for just a bit longer.

But Yvonne…_God…_she brought him back to focus. Her back hunched over, mouthing at his neck and pushing her hips against him, Zac clenched his teeth and just drove himself into her, deep and hard and desperate for reprieve. He forced her breathless; helpless with every penetrating stab inside her. He did not want to be too rough with her, but Yvonne was meeting his thrusts with little hitching twists of her body that drove him absolutely insane.

It was not going to be much longer. But Zac wanted to look into her eyes before it was over. He gave one last roll of the hips and then fell back. They locked gazes; Yvonne dug her nails into his skin, her movements wild and uneven, and then she whispered his name and Zac was gone. He came like he was dying—thighs seizing and body shuddering, pleasure spreading through his veins like wildfire.

As soon as the white-hot shock passed, Yvonne was pressed on top of him. Their bodies were covered with a sheen of sweat, but neither of them cared to notice. Zac was kissing her, slow and sweet, trying to pour all those feeling he had bottled up in the past two weeks and possibly even the last four years into one loving gesture. Exhaustion finally claimed him and he shifted his weight to the side. Zac held Yvonne in the circle of his arms, not wanting to move, just to enjoy the way she carded her fingers through the curls matted to his forehead.

"So…are you still thinking about going back to your house for the sermon?" Yvonne asked, wry smile curving her lips. It took Zac a minute to figure out what she was talking about, but then remembered it was what started it all.

"Oh," he said, grinning sheepishly. "Sadly, I'm kind of obligated to."

"Will you be confessing any of your sins?"

He laughed, "If I did, you'd be coming with me."

"Give me a few more hours of sleep, a shower, and then we'll talk."

Zac gave Yvonne an affectionate squeeze. "Deal," he agreed with a yawn. "But on one condition."

"What is that?"

"I get to make breakfast while you sort things out with Tim."

Yvonne chewed on her bottom lip, "If I do that, then it's a date?"

Zac caressed her flushed cheeks gently and then closed his eyes, confirming with a whisper: "It's a date."

Then without another word, they both settled themselves in each other's embrace and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>An: <strong>I wasn't lying when I said it'd be short! I hope everyone enjoyed the smut. I finished writing this thing at 1:30 am so there will bound to be mistakes as I am running low on fuel. So don't get all nitpicky because I own up to every error on this chapter.

Before I pass out as I type this, I wanted to say that I cannot express in words how grateful I am of every single one of you for reading and reviewing this story. I love you all!

There, nighty night!


	5. Heaven Can Wait

**A/n: **And...I'm back! That sure took forever. Thank you to all who remained by my side through these trying times that I call my life. My laptop basically broke; to replace the DC power jack, I had to get a new motherboard as well, and if there's any nerds reading this, you know that its the most essential part of a computer/laptop. Its costs a lot as well. So I decided to buy a new laptop instead! Yay for having a job so that I can actually pay for expensive things, huh?

Anyway, I wrote this chapter mostly in a notebook. Can you say hand cramps? Ugh, it felt like school. But I got it done! So I hope everyone enjoys the highly anticpated installment of LIA!

Reviews are welcomed as always!

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><p><strong>Chapter Five: Heaven Can Wait<strong>

_"Heaven can wait up high in the sky, it's you and I. Heaven can wait deep down in your eyes, I'm yours tonight. Lay your heart next to mine, I feel so alive. Tell me you want me to stay forever, 'cause heaven can wait,"-_Heaven Can Wait, We the Kings.

When Yvonne awoke later that morning, the other side of the bed was cold. Blue eyes parted with gradual slowness; a digital clock flashed the time. It was a little after noon. The entire room was now drenched in midday radiance, gold dust swirling in suspended air. Sunlight leaked through the open blinds and enveloped her with a welcoming heat. She squinted from the harsh rays, her fingers blindly stretching out to seek Zac's warmth, but only found the soft, silken canvas cover of the mattress instead.

She was roused by his sudden disappearance. Propping herself up on both elbows, her eyes darted frantically across the bedroom to no avail. There was not the slightest hint of Zac ever being there, and like waking from a fantastical dream, he'd vanish into nothingness.

Yvonne felt her heart sink.

He was gone.

His presence continued to linger, providing a sense of security she lacked since moving from her home in Australia to the United States. Yvonne remembered how Zac's genuine kindness had single-handedly assuaged all her worries of being a tourist in a foreign land. She would go as far as to admit that he was one of the major driving forces that had pushed her to become a much better actress (and person), always having her back even when facing the unknown. Zac had turned into more than just an amiable co-star or peer. He was her confidant, friend. Through the years of being on the set of _Chuck, _off or on-screen, they developed a profound bond; sharing ideas, inside jokes and beliefs that all came without the risk of judgment or contempt. Being anywhere with Zac was to be treasured…it overwhelmed her with happiness.

Yvonne soon called him family, but sometimes she thought it was too casual of a word for what Zac truly meant to her. A pang of longing shot through her chest. If only he had stayed for the morning, or at least long enough to give her the satisfaction of a heartfelt goodbye. But of course, it was better that he left. She did not want their budding relationship to be threatened by her reliance on Zac, like it had been with Tim. He would not become a crutch for her insecurities. Zac did not deserve superficiality. He was special, one of a kind. And because of this, she could not help but to miss him. Being alone with his scent still pressed into the linens made her feel intensely vulnerable. She wondered if Zac, at home and surrounded by his friends, family and whoever else, missed her at all?

The question went unanswered as expected. With a loud sigh, Yvonne flopped back onto the bed and curled up onto her side, cocooned in the sheets tossed over her naked body. She tried to fall asleep again, not wanting to face the remainder of the day, but failed miserably. Her mind whirled with memories from the night before. She picked out one memory in particular, where Zac confessed his love; shrouded in darkness while the storm raged on outside. But then the scene changed to early dawn, the sun rising as he gave her the laziest of smiles and then she'd return it without hesitation.

This led her to contemplate the inevitable. What she _had _with Tim and what she presently had with Zac. How she questioned Tim's action and motives, while she never doubted the latter's. It was not a fair comparison really. She and Tim were thrown together by a mutual need to survive in a world paved by broken dreams; Hollywood. But she and Zac had met in that very same world, under completely different circumstances, creating an honest trust that was so organic, it lasted through both the good and the bad. How could she have possibly ignored that sort of undeniable connection for so long?

Oblivious. That's the first word Yvonne could think of to describe her foolish behavior. She had been blissfully unobservant, absorbed with fame and whatnot to see beyond her acting career, to see what really mattered.

Zac.

He dropped all pretences to declare his love.

She had retained silence until it was almost too late.

But they endured countless mistakes, blunders, and all of their faults for it to not end in vain. Yvonne ached for Zac, but knew one more misstep would do no harm. She'd wait for him like he waited for her these past four years.

Suddenly, a cacophony of pots and pans echoed outside the bedroom and startled Yvonne from her thoughts. She bolted upright in alarm; hastily securing a blanket around her naked body, and then began to gingerly tiptoe across the hardwood floor towards the door. She cautiously leaned against the partition, looking through a tiny crevice. While it was impossible to discern much of anything, the harsh noise resumed along with the addition of what smelt like burnt food.

Yvonne furrowed her brows. She chanced at prying the door further ajar; hands clasped on the wooden frame, her curiosity was satisfied when seeing that the entire kitchen was in shambles. It appeared as though a tornado hit. Her breath hitched, eyes widening in horror.

Warning bells went off in her head. _Oh no, oh no! Please don't say I was robbed! Or was it the raccoons again? How did they get inside the apartment? _

Whether the intruders were human or rabies-infested critters, Yvonne was ready to get the baseball bat she kept hidden beneath the bed for such occasions. Just as she made her first step backwards, she halted once hearing the utterance of another voice. Her frown deepend into focus, listening intently.

To her surprise, whoever was in the midst of ransacking her apartment, they were undoubtedly humming. It was pure; a rich harmony that had Yvonne captivated by its loveliness. It was distinctively familar. The tone dark, but sweet like honey.

"-And this could be good. It's already better than that."

The hum was replaced with song and her confusion became recognition. Yvonne felt a smile playing on her lips while the melody soothed her senses. It all made perfect sense. There was a relief from the tightness in her chest, causing Yvonne to bounce on her heels with excitement.

_He's making breakfast,_ Yvonne recalled the conversation they had hours earlier, and then she repeated with glee, _He's making me breakfast! _It was true. Zac had never left at all, and it nearly humiliated her for suggesting otherwise.

"And nothing's worse than knowing you're holding back…" Yvonne overheard him sing and butterflies filled her stomach. She was always fond of Zac's aptitude for music. When they were in-between scenes, or just relaxing during a long day of shooting, he would treat the cast and crew to his random outbursts of song. When Zac would sing, Yvonne would fall silent and listen to him. His voice was beautifully sublime; high and clear, brimming with so much life that no one knew whether they should be laughing or crying.

And she could not understand why Zac was so adamant to object in lending his talents to _Chuck, _just once. His position was unwavering, but Yvonne promised that one day he'd concede. Her constant pestering became an ongoing joke between the two of them.

"I could be all that you need," he sang. "If you let me try."

She caught a glimpse of Zac shuffling around the kitchen, his back facing her. For a few moments, Yvonne just watched him move aimlessly about. She ignored that the counters and floor were a sticky mess; pancake batter, flour and grease spilling over the tiles. Chazzy and Willy were circling the kitchen like a pair of hungry sharks, ready for Zac to accidently drop something. But when he finally turned,Yvonne gawked; jaw dropping and heart pattering into oblivion. His deliciously tousled hair was still ruffled from their morning activities. A pair of black-rimmed glasses sat perched on the tip of his nose. His chocolate eyes were magnified by the lenses, bringing out the flecks of gold in both irises. His face was unshaven, sprinkled with stubble. And he wore absolutely nothing but the navy blue jeans that hung so outrageously low on his hips. Zac's appearance initially gave Yvonne the mental image of pornstar preparing to shoot a snuff film. But upon closer inspection, he was only a man who recently rolled out of bed. Regardless, she felt herself unconsciously drift forward, like a magnet drawn to its opposite, craving for more.

Zac held a spatula in hand (She idly wondered where he kept finding all her things.) and flipped a deformed pancake. "You set it again, my heart's in motion. Every word feels like a shooting star. I'm at the edge of my emotions, watching the shadows burn in the dark…"

He lifted the spatula to his lips like it were a microphone, "And I'm in love," He professed, unaware that he was inadvertently serenading Yvonne. "And I'm terrified, for the first time and the last time, in my only…life."

_Go take a shower before he catches you eavesdropping on him like a total creep_, a new voice, probably her conscience nagged insistently. Yvonne huffed, but managed to regain the self-control allotted to uproot from her spot and drag herself towards the bathroom in a hurry.

She wordlessly let the blanket pool at her feet, then stepped inside the glass-encased shower. Humming under her breath, Yvonne closed her eyes, feeling the water sink into her skin like summer rain. As she began washing herself, she mulled over a way to surprise Zac, to really get his attention. It would happen during breakfast. She smiled as the beginnings of an idea took form. While enjoying the sound of rushing water, somehow Yvonne could hear Zac's voice still breathing through the apartment walls, following her like a siren's song.

Her body convulsed into shivers of delight.

Yvonne sighed with frustration. _God damn him._

* * *

><p>The shower went on longer than originally anticipated, and Zac was solely to blame for the delay. It was now the latter half of noon; Yvonne had dried off her body, wringing her hair and then adorned a silk purple robe.<p>

She heard a rapping on her bedroom door and knew it was probably Zac. Tucking a few loose strands behind her ears, she shot the mirror her best flirtaious smile before calling out, "I'll be there in a minute!"

Not a minute later, Yvonne crossed into the kitchen with only one thing on her mind, and it was not breakfast. Zac was too busy scooping food onto her plate to see Yvonne slinking up behind him, circling her arms around his waist. His body froze, almost dropping the dish into the sink. He steadied himself, muscles relaxing as he glanced over his shoulder to find her smiling at him.

"How long have you been up?" He asked casually, handing her the plate while beginning to work on preparing his own meal.

Yvonne stared at the food: two chocolate chip pancakes drizzled in syrup, a couple strips of bacon, links of sausage, and scrambled eggs. While it smelt positively amazing, she placed it in the middle of the island counter for later.

"Not very long," she answered. Zac was loading up his plate with twice the amount he gave her. Yvonne rolled her eyes; his appetite was sometimes astounding. Nevertheless, she patiently waited for him to finish. "I just took a quick shower, that's all. I think you could use one too."

Zac chuckled. "I'd have to agree with you. I honestly did not mean to destroy your kitchen, but I get excited about my foods."

She loosened the ties of her robe, "There's no harm done, we'll clean it up later."

After he finished drowning his entire plate with maple syrup, Zac turned to face Yvonne. She was leaning against the counter, disrobed and completely naked. Zac _did _drop the plate this time, as well as his mouth as they both hit the floor in shock. He was frozen; too stunned to touch her, but taking every inch of it with his eyes.

"Uh…"he stammered, uncertain. "What are you doing?"

"What do you _think _I'm doing?"

Zac averted his gaze and muttered. "I broke your plate…"

She grabbed Zac by the arm and yanked him foward. He stepped over the broken shards of the expensive china, looking at Yvonne with his face burning scarlet. He was likely embarrassed from the mess he made, and the fact a naked goddess was practically throwing herself at him was not helping matters either.

She instructed him like a mother to her child. "Forget the plate, Zac."

"Forget the plate…?" It sounded like such a foreign concept to him. He looked absolutely dumbstruck. "But-"

Now she was getting impatient. "Forget the plate, and kiss me."

Before he could protest with another lame excuse, Yvonne silenced Zac with a searing kiss. She traced her tongue across his lips, tasting maple syrup while demanding further entrance. Her fervor did not go unnoticed; Zac snapped out of his stupor and attacked her with such passion that it rendered her breathless. Their mouths glued together, they began fighting for dominance. In their scuffle, Zac lost his glasses as he placed his hand on the small of her back and then proceeded to push Yvonne against the island. Her back arched at his touch and when coming into contact with the marble granite. It was cold and slick, lathered with a sticky substance. Her face contorted in dismay, and Zac broke the kiss.

"What's wrong?" he asked, head tilted.

She lifted off the countertop, feeling as her skin peeled from the hard surface. Zac traded glances with her, his eyes glinting with amusement.

He joked. "I guess you'll be joining me in the shower later?"

Yvonne looked at him mischievously. Before he could react, she swiped a hand for the syrup bottle and then squeezed. The contents hit its mark and Zac was covered in the caramel goo. His lips pursed to convey his discomfort while she remained smug.

The awkward silence erupted into laughter. Yvonne oggled Zac with confusion, but in an instant she too began giggling madly. He was contagious. With tears in her eyes, she saw that Zac was prodding the syrup bottle with his fingers and she quickly braced herself for retaliation.

Instead, she felt the syrup drizzle across her naked form, beginning from her collarbone down to her thighs. Yvonne's brows furrowed; cracking an eye open, she watched Zac taking his time as he let the liquid drip onto her bare skin like he were some kind of artist.

"Zac, no!" She yelped, suddenly resisting. Each protest was afflicted with a heavier Australian accent. "Please, naeiou, naeiou, _naeiou_!"

He briefly assessed his masterpiece before casting the bottle aside. Yvonne heaved a sigh, but her moment of peace was short lived as Zac began to cop a feel. He started at the knee, his hand sliding from her thigh to cup her bottom. With a squeeze, he bent forward, nuzzling against her neck. Yvonne's breath shortened; Zac nipped her skin, following the trail of syrup to the valley of her breasts.

She inhaled sharply as he hoisted her onto the countertop, then taking a hardened nipple into his mouth while massaging the other with a free hand. Yvonne gasped his name, startling both the dogs that have been waiting by the kitchen like scavengers. They scampered off in fear. Zac hummed with content. He kept teasing her breasts, lightly scraping his teeth across the tender flesh and sucking on it.

As he gave her other breast the same treatment, Zac descended down Yvonne. He held her writhing form steady when first dipping his tongue inside her navel. She became irresistibly tense; feeling him swirl around her folds, she grabbed a handful of his curls and tugged. If this caused him any pain, Zac did not show it. He was too consumed with Yvonne, feeling her desperation for pleasure as he did everything possible to make her cry in ecstasy. He tasted her sweet juices flowing, mixing seamlessly with the syrup. And as she shudderd around him, that's when he knew she was ready. Zac lifted his chin, dark eyes meeting her hazy blue.

"Is this what you wanted?" He asked Yvonne in a soft whisper. Her legs quivered, yearning again for his touch. The pressure between her legs blossomed, desperate for relief. "Haven't you had enough already?" Zac went on to say, "I was starting to wonder if I somehow put you into a coma…"

"You're...obviously giving yourself... too much credit," she tried a clever retort, "Don't get cocky..."

"Cocky? Who me?" Zac said innocently as he stared up at her gorgeous body. "There's a fine line between cocky and confident, you know."

She groaned in exasperation. "Why are you torturing me? Is this part of your plan? To make me spontaneously combust? What did I do to deserve this?"

"Well for starters, you can tell me why you were eavesdropping on me earlier this morning."

Yvonne blushed. "W-what are you even talking about?"

"I'm not _that _oblivious." He said, leanding foward with a hand still resting on the inside her thigh. "I saw you peaking through the door, like you were _spying _on me or something." Yvonne noted the playfulness in his tone and swallowed thickly. "Which of course was unavoidable. I know how you get when I sing…"

She concluded that Zac had sang so obnoxiously just to draw her out to investigate. "How do I _get _exactly?"

A finger slipped inside her without warning. He rubbed slow ministrations and crooned softly. "I've got you under my skin…I've got you deep in the heart of me. So deep in my heart, that you're really a part of me." The intensity in his eyes and voice (followed by a simultaneous flick of a fingertip against her clit) caused Yvonne to see stars. Zac was smirking, "I've got you under my skin…"

He hovered over her while she panted wildly. "And that's how you _get."_

"Fine, fine you win!" Yvonne almost shouted. "Now will you just take off those stupid jeans before I rip them apart myself?"

Zac hastened to obey. "I don't think we need any more causalities this early in the day," he remarked, to which Yvonne agreed by grabbing a hold of his face and bringing their lips together in a smoldering kiss that might've made the whole ground shake beneath them.

While their mouths were linked for a never ending battle of control, they found themselves both on top of the counter with Zac pinned on top of Yvonne, his member standing tall and ready for her. He did not hesitate to penatrate deep into her wetness; thrusting immediately as one hand started manipulating her breasts, while the other had its thumb against her clit, trying to coax Yvonne to another of her many releases. Their eyes locked the instant that each other's muscles clenched, lacking any semblence of restraint, sending them to the brink. Zac gave one last upstroke before collapsing. He lay resting on top of Yvonne; both recuperating as they rode out the last of their respective orgasms.

"I think now would be a good time for that shower," said Zac as carefully rolled off Yvonne, sitting cross-legged on top of the counter. She nodded in agreement as their bodies were drenched in sweat, syrup and whatever else.

"I forgot to ask you something," she told him and Zac gave her a confused look. "Why did you decide to stay, honestly? Don't say you rescheduled again because of me."

He shrugged. "What can I say, you have this effect on me."

"That's your best excuse?"

"Was it not as elaborate as you thought it'd be?"

"No, it's just…" She sighed. "I don't want you to give up the life you had before me."

Zac climbed off the countertop, saying nothing, but when he opened his arms, there was no deliberation for Yvonne resist him. His body had become familiar to her: the way it moved, its smell of his cologne, and even the sound of his heart beating with hers in unison. This was the first time she really felt it, lean hard-muscled against her own.

"Listen," he said. "I'll give up anything for you, Yvonne. It's not your choice to make, it's mine. And besides, I think that ship had sailed a long time ago."

She smiled despite all her guilt. Circling her arms around his neck, she buried her face into the crook of his shoulder, feeling him lift her up and carry them back towards her bedroom. The day was already half over and there was still so much left to accomplish. The kitchen resembled a war zone and needed to be cleaned immediately, grocery shopping was on her long list of things to do as well. And on top of that, calling Tim was top priority. Her head was so full of thoughts that it made her dizzy.

"Sweetheart, I think your phone is ringing," Zac returned her to the present with a kiss on top of the head.

Yvonne mumbled, "Just let it go to voice mail." She placed a kiss of her own on his chest.

But he dismissed the suggestion and picked up the Iphone from off the nightstand, placing it where it could rest on her cheek. Groaning, she answered. "Hello…?"

"Yvonne, why haven't you been answering my calls?"

It was Tim, again.

"I've been asleep," she half-lied. "How many times have you called me?"

Zac whispered into her ear. "Fifteen calls, seven voicemails, and eleven text messages."

"Who was that talking to you just now?" Tim asked suspiciously. "It sounded like a guy, but I thought you just said you've been asleep?"

Yvonne wished she could be sleeping, but hanging up on Tim was rude thing to do, so she grudgingly stayed on the line. "It was a guy," she admitted tiredly. "Tim, we need to talk-"

And talked they did.

The call ended with Yvonne chucking the phone and not caring where it landed. She was currently strewn across Zac's lap; he absently stroked her hair. "So," he asked curiously. "How did it go?"

"Not as expected…"

"What does that mean?"

"Tim dumped me."

Zac looked down at her in disbelief. "Are you kidding? How is that even possible?"

"I guess there's some rumors circulating the internet about me seeing someone else," she replied with a yawn. Zac still was confused. "The tabloids are convinced that I'm dating some guy named Zachary Levi."

His eyes grew twice in size. "Oh fuck me…"

"That's what they said too," Yvonne joked but he did not seem to think it was very funny. "Anyway, Tim was convinced that TMZ was accurate on their assumption about us. So he's done with me, moving onto bigger and better things I suppose…"

"And, you're ok with this?"

"Ok with what?" She asked, "Tim and I being over with, or the entire entertainment industry trying to figure out our love life?"

Zac did not know how to answer this. He chewed on his bottom lip, suddenly deep in thought.

She continued. "Tim was a huge part of my life, but I think I'll manage without him, but, we need to begin strategizing for how we're going to face the press. I don't want it to blow up in our faces."

"It won't, I promise."

They traded brief glances; Zac hulling her to the bathroom. When standing opposite of the other, Yvonne crossed both arms over her breasts. She raised a brow, "What are you planning?"

Zac tossed her a knowing smirk. "If I tell you, i'd have to kill you."

"How about you explain in the shower?"

"I say that's a fair compromise."

And in a heartbeat, they darted into the stall like a pair of teenagers.

They had a future to discuss.

* * *

><p><strong>An: **That was longer than expected. But I owed you guys anyway, so there's my justification for the length of the chapter. Chapter Six will revolve around how Zac and Yvonne "come out" to the public as a real couple, that and of course, the highly anticipated appearance of Zac's mohawk. Yep, that's all on the way!

1. The first song Zac sings is **Terrified **by Katherine McPhee & Zachary Levi.

2. The second song is **Under my Skin, **by Frank Sinatra, which is another song that Zac did a cover for during his trip to NYC.


	6. The Dog Days are Over

**An: **This is a pretty short chapter, but its essential to the story I can promise you that. I have nothing more to say but thanks to all the reviews! It hit over 100 reviews and it'd all be impossible without you guys!

Enjoy this extra chapter!

Reviews are welcomed!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six: The Dog Days are Over<strong>

"_Happiness hit her like a bullet in the back. Struck from a great height, by someone who should know better than that,"—_The Dog Days are Over, Florence & the Machine.

**_Three Weeks later…_**

**_April 27__th__, 2011. _**

Yvonne had been staring at him for nearly a half hour. That entire time was spent in the car as they drove from her apartment to LAX, and it never stopped being awkward. Her blue eyes remained glued to Zac, unblinking. They weren't inclined to stray from his general direction. It was as if she were in a trance; even the radio on full blast did not have the slightest effect on her.

Upon arriving to the airport parking lot, Zac located a free space and killed the ignition. He turned to face Yvonne, perplexed by her odd behavior. Maybe she was still upset about missing the _Scream 4_ premier? Apparently, he had greatly overestimated his celebrity status in Hollywood and failed spectacularly to acquire the tickets to the worldwide event. Or perhaps it could've been that weekend he partied in Las Vegas while she went back to Australia to visit family. Only one of these instances _did _warrant for some disappointment and Zac swore to rectify it at all cost. He would make it up to his beautiful girlfriend—did he just refer Yvonne Strahovski as his girlfriend? It was unofficial, sure, but semantics. He'd make it up to her in spades.

This brought his concern full circle. He wondered how a one week vacation to paradise could be skewed as problematic. It was free of cost, for Yvonne anyway. They were flying first class. And they were going to spend seven days and nights in the most expensive villa the Grand Wailea could offer. That _had _to be better than sitting in a crowded movie theater. Being in the limelight that was the public eye wasn't exactly what either of them wanted, especially given the circumstances. They were both exhausted and Zac knew that every tabloid—from _TMZ_ to _Entertainment Tonight_ would be present.

For the past week, the paparazzi had been hounding the _Chuck _stars without remorse. On Wednesday, Yvonne had convinced him to take a jog through the park. They were interrupted after covertly exchanging quick, affectionate kisses. An onslaught of reporters ambushed them with flashing cameras and a bombardment of questions. This encounter was as blunt and unforgiving as Yvonne. She was particularly fed up with their situation; her lack of decorum had the journalists fleeing for their lives in a matter of seconds. Zac then made the executive decision to cut their morning run short, taking her to his house where they engaged in a _different _kind of cardio workout.

This had become their routine. They made several more halfhearted attempts at freedom but it ended in disaster. And in sex. So it was not _too _horrible since almost four years of sexual tension had to be alleviated somehow. The sex itself was a cathartic release. It was amazing, fantastic, spectacular, godlike (and every other elegant adjective Zac could rift off) but eventually, both actors agreed that it was time to move on with their lives.

A trip to Hawaii was Zac's (impulsive) solution to their depravity.

This meant that Yvonne should be all smiles at this point. Zac knew he had been before picking her up earlier that afternoon. Her default expression crushed whatever excitement he managed to save for their very first romantic vacation as a real couple.

He massaged the bridge of his nose, finally asking. "Would you please say what you need to say? You're starting to freak me out, and I can't handle this scrutiny. Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong? Whatever it is, I apologize ok?"

Yvonne wordlessly brought a hand to his face. Her fingertips ran through the spiked hair, then down to the sides that were buzzed. The act itself was random but it triggered an understanding to why she had been acting so weird.

Her question was curious. "Did you lose a bet?"

Cheeks flushed pink. "No, I didn't lose a bet."

"Then did somebody prank you?"

"If I were to say that I did this completely sound of mind and upon my own free will, would you believe me?"

Yvonne appeared dubious.

"So what you're saying is that one morning you just woke up, looked into the mirror and decided you'd do…_that,_" she frowned and gestured to the abomination that rested on top of his head, "to yourself?"

"Have you been staring at my mohawk for the entire drive?" Zac changed the subject with arms folded, an eyebrow raised.

"I couldn't look away," Yvonne deadpanned. "This was all because you were bored, isn't it?"

He scoffed. "Why does everyone think it was out of boredom? I wanted to mix things up, try something new. Besides, I like it."

"You look ridiculous, Zac."

"Give it a few days and the hawk will change your mind."

Yvonne rolled her eyes; grabbing the blue Dodger cap from the dashboard and pulled it over his head. She quipped, "That's highly unlikely," and then exited the car before Zac could retort.

The passenger door slammed shut. Zac tugged the brim of the baseball hat down to block out the sun. He was unsurprised by Yvonne's remarks concerning his new hairdo. A lot of people have already commented on it, most of which were expressed in the form of repressed laughter. But he ignored their scathing criticisms. He'd admit that the mohawk was a product of excessive boredom, much due to his forced reclusion from society. Secretly, he hoped that it'd somehow deflect all of the unwanted attention so he and Yvonne could enjoy Maui together.

It was a useless feat.

They would likely be confirmed as an item before the plane even took to the sky.

It'd be a relief, but he wanted to tell the world himself. What gave the media the right to deliver such incredible, life-altering news?

An idea struck him.

He glanced at the rearview mirror and saw that Yvonne was collecting the many bags of luggage from the trunk. Rolling down the side window, he stuck out his neck and called out to her:

"Babe, would you come over here for a minute?"

* * *

><p>The Iphone was placed on top of the dashboard; its red light signaled that it was now recording. They were both sitting in the car again. Their flight was due to leave in less than an hour. Yvonne was apprehensive. She understood what Zac was trying to accomplish here, but time was of the essence. This had to be fast.<p>

"Hello nerds and nerdettes," Zac calmly greeted those who were viewing the live stream. "I know this was sort of abrupt, but sometimes you just have to expect the unexpected and roll with the punches, you know? Anyway, let's get straight to the point."

"You must be confused to as why Yvonne Strahovski is sitting beside me." The camera focused on her and she waved back shyly. "Well, there's a simple explanation for that. You see, we've been thinking that it's time to set the record straight about these _alleged _sightings of us being seen together in a romantic capacity…"

Zac took Yvonne by the hand. He focused solely into her eyes and continued in a softer voice, "Neither of us is going to deny these allegations because we'd be only lying to everyone including ourselves. So before the real rumors begin leaking onto the internet, the magazines or the television screen, we'll say it here first. Or rather, _show _you."

Every time another _we _slipped from his mouth, it made Yvonne's heart flutter. Now with all the undivided attention Zac could muster (the viewer count hovered around a thousand), he leaned across the space between and brought his lips to hers for the longest kiss either one of them had ever endured.

They parted, breathless.

The amount of views skyrocketed; comments exploding on the live chatboard. Zac plucked the Iphone and filmed Yvonne's reaction, her blue eyes sparkling with a matching grin. He turned the camera on himself.

"There."

The stream ended.

The website serves crashed not much later.

And an entire fanbase collectively swooned.

* * *

><p>They boarded the plane holding hands, not caring who saw or what was said in flight from Los Angeles to Maui was relatively painless. It consisted mostly in Zac and Yvonne reading emails from their friends and families—all congratulating them on what should've happened eons ago. Twitter was (to put it lightly) on fire. Their names were trending worldwide as was their endearing nickname, Zachonne.<p>

Six hours later and the plane safely landed on the tiny island. Night had fallen since then, the tropical wind breezing outside was warm and inviting. Yvonne woke up to the voice of the pilot instructing the passengers that they could now unbuckle their seatbelts and exit out into the terminal. Yawning, Yvonne realized that she'd been snuggled against Zac for the last half of the flight. He was still asleep, his chin resting on top of his chest while he snoozed, undisturbed. With a smile, she nudged him awake. He peered through a half-hooded gaze, leaving a kiss on the tip of her nose.

"I'm not still dreaming, am I?" He whispered sleepily.

Yvonne shook her head. "No, it's very real."

Zac grinned as he removed the baseball cap; running a hand through his dishelved hair.

"Good," he said. "I love you."

"I love you too," was her sincere answer. She paused then cupped his cheek and added, "Welcome to paradise, Zac."

Neither truly understood the weight of those words.

But they would definitely find out soon enough.

* * *

><p><strong>An: <strong>Told you it was short! Next chapter has Zac and Yvonne (now a real couple, yippee!) exploring Hawaii's hot spots. It'll be the return of smut, don't worry!

Until next time folks!


	7. Lay Down

**An: **As I promised, here is a longer chapter! I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed! I really appreciate them. Um, this chapter includes 100% real and accurate descriptions of places on the island of Maui. I've been there a few times, so actually, some of the stuff that happens to Zac and Yvonne, happened to me on my 18th birthday (aka two years ago), except for a major event which should be obvious to figure out it wasn't me.

Enjoy this chapter!

Review if you can too!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven: Lay Down<strong>

"_I said its hot outside; let me go swimming in your eyes. We've been running for awhile, why don't you lay down I'll make you smile. I could never ask for nothing better than this. It's just tequila and the beach, it's quite salty when we kiss,"—_Lay Me Down, Dirty Heads.

"Think of it this way," Zac recommended a few hours later. They arrived to the beachside resort earlier that evening and now were sitting amidst the gardens of Café Kula. The place was rather small—a mere blip to its exotic surroundings—but with the homemade coconut cream pie and the freshest coffee tickling their taste buds, neither had the audacity to complain.

"And which _way_ is that?" Yvonne asked, smiling wryly.

"_Ha-Ha_." His laugh dripped with sarcasm. "What I'm trying to say is that we're much better off with our relationship being publicized then kept in secret. They were going to find out sooner or later anyway, so what's so wrong with us getting the upper hand and telling everyone before shit really hit the fan? Just think of how it'd been if they saw us in Maui together without knowing the truth."

"In hindsight, this was a mistake regardless," replied Yvonne frowning. She took a sip of the hot drink, "I'm unsure to just _what _that mistake is exactly…nothing ever goes down smoothly."

Zac half-nodded. "I guess you're probably right. So if this _is_ the calm before the storm, can we at least try and enjoy it? We're in Hawaii for a whole week, let's have some fun."

"I just don't want the paparazzi—or anyone else, following us around the island the entire time."

Zac forked a mound of pie and stuffed it into his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully, then pointed the utensil at her, commenting. "Believe me, after what you did to them last time, I doubt they'll ever mess with you again. You were pretty scary, babe."

"I think I made one of them cry," she recalled and added with a touch of worry in her voice. "I hope that they don't press charges for verbal assault..."

"You're seriously over-thinking this, and I blame it partially on the jet lag."

"I'm not tired."

Zac dismissed her; briefly glancing to his iPhone to check the time. "I think we should go back to our room and call it a night. We have a big day tomorrow."

"A big day…wasn't the whole point of this vacation to relax?"

"Yeah, relaxing is part of it…among other things."

Her brows furrowed suspiciously, "So what are we doing then?"

He winked, "It's a surprise."

Yvonne pouted. "I hate surprises."

"I know you do."

A tropical breeze swept through the café and signaled for their departure. They left the table with full bellies and racing thoughts. Yvonne spent the entire walk back to the villa just trying to figure Zac out. What did he have planned? Where were they going? Would it be dangerous? One of Zac's faults was his earnest to do outrageous things. He was an adrenaline junkie. She knew how he thrived on accomplishing anything that'd possibly result in an early death: skydiving, cliff jumping, snowboarding, skiing, skateboarding, racing sports cars, just to name a few.

Zac noticed her ambivalence and chuckled lowly.

_He's messing with my mind,_ she realized, incensed. _I bet it's just a trick and tomorrow will be tame…_

Then Yvonne remembered that Zac did not have the word "tame" anywhere in his vocabulary.

With a sigh, she began mentally preparing herself for the morning, certain that sleeping would be unlikely.

* * *

><p>The milky dawn broke when the sun peaked from above the rolling hills to illuminate grey skies with a vibrant, colorful wash of color. Light first touched the balcony and crept slowly inside the villa until the room was fully engulfed with its brightness. With eyes still firmly shut, Yvonne could feel the heat sting through her lids. Then there were a pair of strong hands urging her awake. They shook once and she grumbled, throwing the covers over her head in defiance.<p>

"Rise and shine, baby!"

Her protests were a muffled, "NAEIOU!" But Zac easily rolled Yvonne from out of her protective cocoon, and she grudgingly met him with a nasty glare. Zac wore a dazzling smile, almost as blinding as the sun itself. He was already dressed in a pair swim trunks, a TNM shirt, and sandals. He was also totally (unsurprisingly) awake; it both amazed and disgusted her.

Zac prodded her gently with his finger. Face scrunched in mild annoyance, she shifted her gaze sideways. "Do I want to know what time it is?"

His grin broadened. Yvonne was a total grouch in the morning.

"Well, it depends," he said. "I mean it's _only_ seven in LA—"

Yvonne sat up. "And with a two hour difference, it's five am here." She paused, aghast. "You are evil."

Zac turned around to hide his growing smirk. His smugness was short-lived by a pillow nailing him in the back of the head with deadly, Sarah Walker-esque accuracy.

* * *

><p>They left the resort parking lot in Zac's rental car—a sleek black Charger. He was very adamant about acquiring the particular vehicle and Yvonne wondered if it was because he compulsively <em>needed <em>something fast, or that it had to do with the trip itself. Either way, she was on edge. The drive was relatively short, about fifteen minutes until they came to a Hawaiian bakery.

"Breakfast?" asked Yvonne curiously. Her stomach growled hungrily.

Zac smiled and nodded. "Donuts, I thought it'd be nice to grab a dozen before we hit the road, y'know?" Her defensiveness was replaced by a hint of a smile. "Anyway, I'll go inside and you stay here. Don't fall asleep on me though," he teased lightly.

He leaned over to give Yvonne a peck on the cheek before exiting the car. She watched him disappear; sank into the leather headrest and felt her eyes droop closed as the radio speakers played Foster the People's _Pumped up Kicks _and lulled her to sleep.

Yvonne awoke to the slamming of the car door followed by engine roaring to life. Eyes parted to find a white cardboard box resting in her lap. Zac had returned; the car began to move and they were back on the road. A few moments went by and she gently raised the container's lid. There were twelve plump, freshly made donuts sitting inside. Zac noticed her ogling the baked goods and mentioned enthusiastically, "There's plenty between the two of us, so have at it. There's a bear claw with your name on it."

With careful fingers, she picked up a large caramel donut and lifted it up to her mouth. She took a bite, giving a pleasurable sigh. Zac snorted as she devoured the pastry in seconds flat. "Wow, I wish I could get you to make noises like that."

Mouth full, Yvonne merely rolled her eyes and swatted him on the shoulder. He feigned a pained grimace and continued to drive into the tropical hillside while she demolished the tasty treats.

The further Zac drove, the narrower the roads became. As the Charger winded around the mountain terrain, it turned wild and trees seemed to reach for the sky. The car shook from the uneven surface. Yvonne felt her stomach churn unexpectedly. She noticed the box was empty and her complexion paled. Zac sensed something was amiss and his eyes strayed from the path ahead, flickering to Yvonne.

"Hey, weren't you going to leave me at least one?"

She settled a hand onto her belly and swallowed the bile that was rising up her throat, whispering, "stop the car."

"What?"

"Stop the car, Zac!"

Her outburst had him slamming onto the breaks. The Charger screeched to a halt and Yvonne ditched her seat immediately, tumbling to the side of the road where she bent over and retched. Zac had followed, now rubbing Yvonne's back in slow ministrations while she emptied the contents of her stomach.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," he said in a soothing voice. "Sometimes car sickness happens to the best of us."

Yvonne felt comforted by his words. The nausea subsided to a bearable twinge and she straightened up, casting Zac a grateful smile. "You're amazing," she told him and he blushed. Wiping her mouth with a hand, she glanced around her surroundings. The smell of exotic fruit hung in the air. Where were they?

"Your timing was impeccable," noted Zac. Yvonne looked at him confusedly. He grinned. "We're here."

* * *

><p>Here.<p>

_Where was here? _Yvonne wondered.

Zac didn't go into further detail, but began to lead them both to a pasture of grass that lay beyond the dirt road. Yvonne was wary upon reading the **No Trespassing **sign at the entrance to the path. Clearly, no one was supposed to be there. Nevertheless, they traveled down a slope until she could see the horizon peak over the grassy knoll.

"Almost there," she heard Zac say. "Be careful, it's slippery."

Cautiously, she made her descent into a heavily wooded area. Zac remained in front, clearing the branches and leaves with his hands. Yvonne inhaled the familar salty air, and then stopped when Zac stood motionless. She walked beside him, looking confused. It wasn't until she focused ahead did Yvonne feel like someone had knocked the wind from her lungs.

It was breathtaking.

There was a giant pool of water sitting perfectly at the bottom of cavern-shaped basin; its turqoise surface rippling seemed unreal. A thin strip of shoreline separated the conclave from the endless sea. Waves crashed into the beach, spraying them with a cool mist.

"How did you find this…?" She almost whispered, still in awe.

"Uh…" he was speechless as well. "Google actually."

They were overlooking the extrodinary view for another minute nd then headed further down the trail to find a place where they could rest. There was a flat bed of rock and Zac set the backpack aside, kicking off his sandals and stripping away his shirt. Yvonne took a seat on a particularly large boulder, water bottle in hand as she'd take tentative sips.

"Going to test the waters?" she asked.

"Of course, would you like to join me, milady?"

"In a bit, but you go ahead."

Zac did not need to be told twice. Yvonne watched him boldly scale the cliff barefoot with such grace that a man of his height should've lacked. Once he reached the top, he vanished into the foliage and then reappeared; sprinted off the ledge and took into the air. He tucked both knees to his chest and hit the water with a big splash. His head poked from the surface an instant later, bobbing as the wakes gently knock him about.

Grinning, he shouted: "C'mon and join me! It's amazing!"

The sun was at its highest point in the cloudless blue sky and its rays bathed the rocks. The warmth was gratifying and it'd surely tan her to perfection if she refused to move. But that expectant look Zac gave her was unavoidable. Yvonne sighed in resignation.

"Be right there!"

And she followed the same steps as Zac; by the time she approached the edge of the cliff (it had to be at least forty-five to fifty feet high), Yvonne was down to her violet bikini. She felt the sickness return but for a different reason. Zac was floating in the water, eyes focused on her.

"Take a running start," he advised. "Then make sure to jump out!"

Yvonne nodded and with a deep breath, she was falling.

And then she was underwater.

Zac was right. It _did _feel amazing. The water was cool and refreshing, exonerating the nausea completely. Bubbles retreated from her parted lips; a school of fish and a single turtle swam by. Yvonne watched the sea creatures pass in silent admiration before kicking to the surface. Zac greeted her with an elated grin. She returned it, paddling towards him.

"That was…" She began but he interrupted her with a kiss. "Exhilarating?" He said once they parted. Yvonne nodded and her laughter echoed throughout the isolated end of paradise. Zac tilted her chin to meet his gaze. Chocolate eyes bore into her; their lips met again but with more insistence. She felt his hand dip beneath the water and settle onto her waist, slowly inching to massage her breasts.

Yvonne blinked and instinctivly pushed away from Zac with arms crossed over her chest. He was confused(and slightly hurt) at first, but then the top half of a bikini floated between them and he understood. She was embarrassed, watching him grab the top and swim up to her, putting it against naked skin and tying it around her neck with so much as a devious smirk.

He rested on the crook of her shoulder and whispered gruffly, "We can get to the undressing a bit later…"

Yvonne couldn't speak; her body went rigid with the sheer idea of them, alone in the middle of literally nowhere. Zac left a wet smooch on her cheek, taking long backstrokes towards the shore. He gave a flirty wink and she followed him to the rocks. They were drying off, Zac shaking his head like a wet dog, and Yvonne lost in thought.

"What are the chances of someone discovering this place?" she asked curiously. "And where are we anyway?"

Zac retrieved a towel from the backpack. "It's called the Road to Hana," he explained. "It's about a day trip around the island, and there are plenty of sights—waterfalls, hiking trails, forests, and this here specifically, are called the Venus Pool. Not a lot of people know about it. I made sure to pick somewhere as inconspicuous as possible."

"You've outdone yourself."

"Well, I'm not done yet."

He scooted closer, taking Yvonne by the hips and placed her onto his lap. He brushed his lips across hers like a path of wildfire. She circled both arms around his neck and carded her fingers through his tousled hair. They shared a hungry look, a smile, and then dove right into each other.

* * *

><p>She moaned after another deep upstroke. Zac was pressed against her back, thrusting while nipping at tender skin. He was buried to the hilt and the slightest movement elicited a strangled noise from Yvonne. She bucked into him compulsively while he kept an arm fastened around her waist to hold them both steady.<p>

"God, please," she panted feebly. "Please, more…"

Zac gave all he could and possibly more. Yvonne was on her hands and knees, trembling as he increased the rhythm. Her internal muscles contracted and she grew limp, but Zac caught her before she could collapse. His hot breath ghosted her ear and she felt shivers trail up her spine.

"How was that...?"

Yvonne was about to answer, however the sound of nearby voices startled her. She acted involuntarily; rearing into Zac (who hissed in both pain and pleasure) and sending them off balance. Someone yelled, "Hey, what are they doing over there?"

And that's when they panicked.

Suddenly, they wre under the turquoise waves. Yvonne opened her eyes; finding they were dancing in opaque suspension. Zac wore and expression of sheer surprise and she's sure her face was almost identical to his. Then he mouthed something, pointing up. Yvonne affirmed this. She felt exhaustion weigh her down, but managed to pull her bikini bottoms up as Zac did the same. Then they reached the top simultaneously, gasping for air.

"Are you ok?" Zac asked worriedly. He was holding onto Yvonne, keeping her afloat. She nodded and her eyes darted around to where she last heard people talking. On the rocks was a family of four. They were circled together, the parents handing out sandwiches while their children stared at Zac and herself. The little boy pointed at them.

"Mommy, look! I told you, it's Chuck and Sarah!"

They traded uneasy looks.

"So much for inconspicuous," Yvonne mumbled.

But Zac had shrugged off the embarrassment and was already waving at the little boy and his family.

* * *

><p>"—and how do you spell it?"<p>

"It's Brian: B-R-I-A-N."

Zac repeated each letter as he wrote, finishing it with his name. He handed the red Angel baseball hat (which he refrained from commenting on) back to the child, Brian. It was now autographed with a short message. Brian thanked him and showed it off to his older sister, who just rolled her eyes in a bored fashion. Yvonne had signed the hat already and was currently chatting with Brian's mother.

"So what brought you to Maui, anything work-related, or…?"

Yvonne smiled and answered politely. "This was actually our vacation. It's still up in the air whether _Chuck _will get renewed, but we're taking some of the summer off to have some fun…"

"Oh, I hope you don't get cancelled. Brian and Emily absolutely love _Chuck. _They'll be so heartbroken!"

_At least I'm not the only one._

"Things are looking positive," Yvonne lied. "So tell your kids to expect us back in the fall."

Suddenly, there was an eruption of laughter followed by a splash. Yvonne looked behind her to find Zac, Brian, and Emily all huddled at the cliff. Their father apparently had been the one who'd jumped and was now treading above the surface, ushering his children to jump as well. Emily was staring at Zac, obviously smitten, and awaiting confirmation. Yvonne saw him nod, and then girl took her leap of faith.

Now it was just Zac and the boy. Their interactions were priceless. Yvonne was sure that he saw a resemblance between Brian and his nephew, Aiden. He was so great with kids, hardly ever trying. It made her feel slightly envious of his ability to get along with nearly everyone. Not once had she witnessed him leave a conversion with a bad taste in her mouth. Knowing this made her fall even more deeply in love with this man.

Zac grabbed Brian's tiny hand, whispering something into his ear. The boy giggled and Zac grinned widely. They crept the edge and then jumped together, both hitting the water unscathed.

For perhaps the first time ever, Yvonne saw visions of the future—her future, where vacations like these were a common occurrence. She was married with kids of her own. They did not have to worry about the tabloids or paparazzi sneaking up on them. Their family was semi-normal. And it'd be as perfect as such a life style could be.

These were now her hopes and dreams.

"-How long have you two been dating?" The voice of the mother, Nikki, asked and snapped Yvonne from her daydreaming.

"For about a month now," she replied happily, "but it feels longer…"

Nikki agreed, "It's a wonder that it took all this time. Emily always complained about how it seemed like an eternity for Chuck and Sarah to finally become a couple, but your chemistry was really undeniable."

Cheeks tinged scarlet, she almost blurted. "Was it that obvious?"

"My husband and I thought you guys were already an item by the end of the first season," she chuckled and shrugged. "We were wrong, but I'm glad that you found each other."

"Thank you."

And she meant it wholeheartedly.

* * *

><p>They bid farewell after lunch.<p>

The family remained at the pool while Zac and Yvonne retraced their steps back through the grass clearing and to the car. Once safely inside and on the road, they both released a collective sigh of relief.

"That was close," Zac whistled. "Can you imagine how awkward that would've been if they saw us?"

Yvonne reclined the passenger seat till it lied flat. "Awkward? It would've been scarring to those poor kids."

"Seeing Chuck and Sarah getting it on doggie style?" Zac snorted with laughter. It was ridiculous. "Yeah, that would've been bad."

The Charger drove along the beaten path to where it passed by a waterfall, and then a small outdoors shop that was selling a myriad of fruit, jewelry and other knickknacks. Zac noticed from the corner of his eye that Yvonne had fallen asleep. She was starting to burn instead of tan, and he decided to do her a favor and buy a bamboo sunhat. He placed it on top of her face to block the sun's rays. She came to moments later.

"What's this?" She mumbled, examining it lazily.

"A gift to protect that beautiful face of yours."

Yvonne put it on her head. She looked gorgeous. "Where to next?"

They crossed a bridge; exotic birds chirped and a white-feathered peacock trotted alongside the paved road. Yvonne stared at the elegant animal until it disappeared into a bushel of leaves. Zac had been watching it as well.

"I was thinking about hauling ass back to the hotel," he replied casually. "We can get there before sunset, finish up where we left off," and Zac did the eyebrow dance which in itself was tough to resist.

Yvonne pretended to contemplate, but then pointed straight ahead.

"Onward!"

* * *

><p>They collapsed in a tangled heap on the floor of the room, naked and sweating profusely. Their chests heaved in unison, skin glistening as if they were covered by diamonds. Yvonne stared through half-lidded eyes to the opened window. It was blowing the ocean wind towards them both, cooling their bodies. The sun appeared as though it was being swallowed by the Pacific. They watched it set in peaceful silence, Zac holding her in a protective embrace, a single blanket draped over them.<p>

"I like this," she murmured.

Zac kissed her shoulder blade, serving as a soft agreement.

"As do I."

* * *

><p><strong>An: <strong>In case if you were wondering, here's my trip compared to Zachonne's.

I've stayed at the Grand Wailea (not a villa) and it's AMAZING!

Café Kula is so good! What can I say, I love coconut cream pie.

Waking up early is essential to a productive day on the Hawaiian islands.

Every year on my birthday, from ages 13-18, we'd stop by Krispy Kreme for some donuts. One year while doing the Road to Hana, my dad had to pull over the car (a Charger) so I could throw up.

The Venus Pools is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I kept thinking I was in an episode from LOST. Cliff jumping is the shit.

I lost my bikini top when I jumped off the cliff. My boyfriend had to put it back on.

My brother almost jumped on a sea turtle. No bueno.

My boyfriend and I did NOT have sex at the Venus Pool for obvious reasons. However, later that night back at the hotel was a different story.

And that's basically it!

Check back in for Chapter Eight soon! It'll be more fun times of Zac and Yvonne hanging out at the resort. Beware of Zachary Levi, "Man-child."


End file.
